Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - Human Rights Watch is calling on Mongolia to either deny entry to Russian President Vladimir Putin or execute the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.

"Mongolia would be defying its international obligations as an ICC member if it allows Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit without arresting him," Maria Elena Vignoli, senior international justice counsel at Human Rights Watch, said in the statement.

Putin arrived in the capital Ulaanbaatar on Monday evening and was welcomed by Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh with a state ceremony Tuesday morning.

Putin travelled to the country at the Mongolian leader's invitation to strengthen cooperation between the two nations, according to a Kremlin statement, despite an arrest warrant issued by the ICC alleging war crimes in Ukraine.

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Mongolia recognizes the ICC and would be obliged to arrest Putin during his stay in Ulaanbaatar.

However, sees no danger for Putin due to the friendly relations between the two countries, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov insisted recently.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reacted with outrage to Putin's welcome in Mongolia.

"The Mongolian government’s failure to carry out the binding ICC arrest warrant for Putin is a heavy blow to the International Criminal Court and the international criminal justice system," ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi wrote on X.

"Mongolia allowed the indicted criminal to escape justice, thereby sharing responsibility for his war crimes. We will work with partners to ensure that this has consequences for Ulaanbaatar."

This is Putin's first trip since the start of his war on Ukraine to a country that is a member of the court in The Hague.