By Edna-UCLIQ
Vladimir Putin has begun an official visit to Mongolia, undisturbed,Ulaanbaatarignored an arrest warrant for him.
An honour guard greeted Putin in Ulaanbaatar on Tuesday. He met Mongolia’s leader, Ukhnaa Khurelsukh. Mongolia has not acted on the ICC arrest warrant.
Mongolia is a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC issued the warrant last year. This was over alleged war crimes in Ukraine. The charges include the deportation of Ukrainian children.
Despite this, Putin received a warm welcome. Genghis Khan Square was decorated with large flags. It was his first visit in five years.
A small protest occurred the day before. Demonstrators held signs that read, “Get War Criminal Putin out of here.”
Ukraine has called for Putin’s arrest. They want him handed over to the ICC in The Hague. This is over the illegal deportation of children since February 2022.
However, Mongolia’s response was unlikely to change. The country has not condemned Russia’s actions. It has abstained from UN votes on the conflict.
“President Putin is a fugitive from justice,” said Altantuya Batdorj of Amnesty International Mongolia. “Failure to arrest him encourages his current actions,” she added.
The ICC cannot enforce arrest warrants directly. A spokesperson for Putin said last week, “We are not worried about detention.”
Mongolia is strategically important. It is between Russia and China. It depends on Russia for fuel and electricity. It relies on China for mining investments.
Mongolia was influenced by Moscow during the Soviet era. Since 1991, it has balanced relations with both nations.
Putin and Khurelsukh will attend a ceremony on Tuesday. This ceremony marks the 1939 victory over Japan. It was a significant event in northeastern China.
Putin mentioned “promising economic projects” in an interview. He referred to the Trans-Mongolian gas pipeline. He also expressed interest in a trilateral summit with China.
