Russian President Vladimir Putin today arrived on an official visit to Mongolia, which is a member of the International Criminal Court, which has issued a warrant for his arrest, the Associated Press reported, as quoted by BTA.
The official visit, during which Putin will meet tomorrow with Mongolian leader Ukhnaagiin Hurelsukh, is the first visit by the Russian president to a member state of the International Criminal Court since the court issued a warrant for his arrest on charges nearly 18 months ago in war crimes in Ukraine. ICC member states are obliged to detain suspects if a warrant has been issued for their arrest, but the court does not have a mechanism to enforce this obligation.
Mongolia, located between Russia and China, is a sparsely populated country heavily dependent on Moscow for fuel and electricity, and on Beijing for investment in its mining industry, AP notes. The country is also on the route of a planned new gas pipeline connecting Russia and China. For years, Moscow has been negotiating the construction of a gas pipeline that will transport 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from the Yamal region to China via Mongolia. The project, called Power of Siberia 2, is part of Russia's strategy to compensate for the loss of gas sales in Europe after the start of the war in Ukraine.
Tomorrow, Putin and the Mongolian leader will attend a ceremony dedicated to the victory of Soviet and Mongolian troops in 1939 over the Japanese army that conquered Manchuria in Northeast China. A number of documents will also be signed tomorrow, and Putin's program includes laying flowers in front of the monument to Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov, TASS notes.
Traditionally, even when traveling abroad, Putin uses a Russian-made limousine “Aurus” with the Russian flag. He left the airport with this particular car.
Ukraine has called on Mongolia to arrest Putin and hand him over to the court in The Hague, AP recalls.
The Kremlin spokesman rejected the accusation, saying it was politically motivated and that there were no concerns about the Russian president's trip.