Russian President Vladimir Putin received a lavish welcome during his state visit to Mongolia, despite the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for his arrest. As he arrived in Ulaanbaatar, the capital, Putin was greeted with full ceremonial honors by Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, with traditional guardsmen on horseback and a young girl presenting flowers.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant against Putin last year, accusing him of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine, a charge that the Kremlin has dismissed as politically motivated. Under the ICC’s mandate, its 124 member states, including Mongolia, are obligated to arrest Putin and transfer him to The Hague for trial if he enters their territory. Mongolia’s failure to act on the warrant has been criticized by Ukraine as undermining the international justice system. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhiy Tykhyi condemned Mongolia’s inaction, stating that it allowed an accused criminal to evade justice, and vowed that Ukraine would work with its allies to ensure Mongolia faced consequences for this decision.
Despite these criticisms, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed confidence before the visit, stating that Russia had a “great dialogue” with Mongolia and had thoroughly discussed all aspects of the visit in advance. Putin emphasized the importance of Mongolia in Russia’s foreign policy in Asia, highlighting the high level of their comprehensive strategic partnership.
During the visit, discussions focused on enhancing trade and economic cooperation, particularly in the energy sector. Mongolia is a key player in Russia’s plans to construct the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, which would transport 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Russia’s Yamal region to China. This project is part of Russia’s strategy to compensate for the loss of most of its gas sales to Europe following the Ukraine war. While the project has faced delays over pricing and other key issues, Putin stated that preparatory work, including feasibility and engineering studies, was progressing as planned.
The visit underscores the complexities of international relations, where strategic partnerships and economic interests can sometimes overshadow global justice efforts.