A spokesperson for the International Criminal Court told The British Broadcasting Corporation on Friday that the judicial body expects Mongolia to detain Russian President Vladimir Putin during his official visit on Tuesday.
The ICC representative, Fadi el-Abdallah, affirmed to the news outlet that the government in Ulaanbaatar has "the obligation to cooperate in accordance with Chapter IX of the Rome Statute" or risk a possible finding of non-compliance by the court resulting in a sanction "it deems appropriate."
Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov downplayed the situation in a statement, declaring there are "no worries” regarding the matter as his country has "wonderful dialogue with our friends from Mongolia."
Putin's upcoming trip, his first to an ICC member since his 2023 arrest warrant related to allegations of child abduction in Ukraine, is said to be prompted by an invitation from Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh. The event is intended to mark the 85th anniversary of the victory of Mongolia and the Soviet Union over Japanese forces during the Battles of Khalkhin Gol.
If Mongolia decides to not enforce the ICC order against Putin, the decision will not be the only time a participating state has refused to comply with one of the Netherlands-based organization’s rulings. In 2015, then Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir evaded apprehension by South Africa while he attended an African Union meeting in Johannesburg.
