ICC urges Mongolia to arrest Putin during upcoming visit, citing obligation to comply with warrant

A spokesperson for the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fadi el-Abdallah, told the BBC on Aug. 30 that Mongolia, as an ICC member state, is obligated to comply with the arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin during his upcoming visit.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March 2023 for the forcible transfer of children from Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.

Putin's visit to Mongolia on Sep. 3 would mark his first trip to an ICC member country that has ratified the Rome Statut, which obligates signatories to arrest him if he enters their territory.

"In case of non-cooperation, ICC judges may make a finding to that effect and inform the Assembly of States Parties of it. It is then for the Assembly to take any measure it deems appropriate," the spokesperson said.

However, ICC agreements with member states allow exemptions from arrest in situations where countries would be forced to "breach a treaty obligation" with another state or violate "diplomatic immunity" for a third state's official or property.

Putin is expected to visit Mongolia at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh. The leaders are set to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the Battles of Khalkhin Gol, where Soviet and Mongolian forces defeated Japanese troops.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry called on the Mongolian government to arrest Putin during his upcoming visit in accordance with the Rome Statut and obligations to the ICC.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Aug. 30 that the visit is being prepared "carefully," adding that the Russian government has "no concerns" about the trip.

"We have a great dialogue with our friends in Mongolia," Peskov told Russian state-controlled media outlet Sputnik.

Putin's visit comes six months after Mongolia appointed its first judge to the ICC.

Last year, the Russian president skipped the BRICS summit in South Africa after the host country indicated it would have to comply with the ICC warrant.

Mongolia has not actively supported Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine but has also refrained from voting to condemn it at the United Nations.

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