Russian President Vladimir Putin is not concerned about being arrested by Mongolia during his upcoming visit, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Putin is scheduled to attend a World War II commemoration in Mongolia on Monday. This trip would theoretically place him at risk of arrest due to an ICC warrant for “war crimes,” as Ulaanbaatar recognizes the court’s jurisdiction.
Peskov told reporters that there are no issues concerning Putin’s visit and that Moscow has no concerns about the ICC warrant, attributing this to their excellent relations with Mongolia. According to Bloomberg, citing two sources familiar with the matter, the Russian president has received assurances from the Mongolian government that he will not be arrested during his trip.
The ICC issued a warrant for Putin’s arrest in March 2023, accusing him of “unlawful deportation of population (children)” and “unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.” However, Russia has dismissed these claims as ridiculous, stating that evacuating civilians from combat zones where they were targeted by Ukrainian artillery and drones was not a crime.
Moreover, neither Russia nor Ukraine signed the Rome Statute, meaning the ICC has no jurisdiction in this matter. Mongolia, on the other hand, ratified the ICC’s founding document in 2002. Six months ago, one of its judges was appointed to sit on the court – a historic first for the Central Asian nation.
In a similar development, Mexico has rejected Ukraine’s demand to detain Putin should he travel there later this year for the inauguration of the new Mexican president.