Putin not worried about being arrested in Mongolia, Kremlin says
Moscow, Russia - Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to travel abroad despite an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
Putin is due to visit Mongolia on Tuesday. Russia's neighbor recognizes the court's authority and so is technically bound to honor the arrest warrant issued in March 2023.
But Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the threat of arrest, saying on Friday, "We are not worried. We maintain a wonderful dialogue with our friends in Mongolia."
This will be Putin's first trip to an ICC member state since he launched his all-out war against Ukraine in February 2022. He skipped a meeting of BRICS countries in South Africa last year, for instance.
Peskov answered in the affirmative when asked whether the arrest warrant had been an issue when preparing for the trip to Mongolia.
"Of course, all aspects of the visit were meticulously prepared," he said, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.
The Kremlin said Putin is traveling to the country at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh in order to expand cooperation.
Mongolia has sought a good relationship with its powerful neighbors China and Russia while also maintaining ties to the West.
Because Mongolia is economically dependent on Russia, however, it is considered unlikely that the country would risk relations by arresting Putin.
Russia does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC.
Ukraine and ICC urge Mongolia to arrest Putin during his state visit
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."
There is little the court can do if Mongolia does not comply, however.
Ukraine on Friday also urged Mongolia to execute the warrant when he visits.
The ICC accuses Putin of being responsible for the abduction and deportation of children and minors from Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine to Russia. Moscow refers to the incidents as evacuations.
Cover photo: Mikhail TERESHCHENKO / POOL / AFP