Kremlin says not worried Putin could be arrested in Mongolia

MOSCOW: The Kremlin said on Friday it was not worried that Mongolia could arrest President Vladimir Putin during his visit there next week, despite the International Criminal Court saying the member country had an “obligation” to detain the Kremlin leader.

Putin will travel to Mongolia on Tuesday, his first trip to an ICC member since The Hague-based court issued a warrant for his arrest over the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children in March 2023.

“There are no worries, we have a great dialogue with our friends from Mongolia,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Asked if Moscow had discussed the arrest warrant with Ulaanbaatar ahead of Putin´s trip, he said: “All aspects of the visit were carefully prepared.”

Russia does not recognise the jurisdiction of the ICC.

Court spokesman Fadi el-Abdallah told reporters on Friday that states that have signed up to the Rome Statute that underpins the Court, “have the obligation to cooperation.” Though there is little the court can do if Mongolia does not comply.

Ukraine on Friday urged Mongolia to execute the warrant when he visits.

“The Ukrainian side hopes that the government of Mongolia is aware of the fact that Vladimir Putin is a war criminal,” Kyiv´s foreign ministry said.

“We call on the Mongolian authorities to execute the binding international arrest warrant and transfer Putin to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.”

Mongolian authorities have not yet commented on the issue.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March 2023.

It said there were “reasonable grounds to believe” that he “bears responsibility for the war crime of unlawful deportation” of Ukrainian children -- living in areas of the country that Russian forces took control of -- to Russia.

Russia has dismissed the warrant as having no consequence, but Putin has not travelled to an ICC member since.

The Kremlin also said its ally Armenia joining the court earlier this year -- meaning it would be obliged to arrest Putin if he travels there -- was an “unfriendly step.” Mongolia has been a member of the ICC for more than two decades, having ratified the Rome Statute in 2002. Last year the first Mongolian judge was elected to the court.