Putin’s Mongolian odyssey: warm welcome amidst ICC shadows

In a significant development, Russian President Vladimir Putin has made his way to Mongolia, marking his inaugural visit to a country member of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The visit comes after the ICC issued a warrant for his arrest last year.

Mongolia's leader warmly greeted him on Tuesday during an extravagant ceremony in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar.

The court has issued a warrant for the arrest of the Russian leader, who stands accused of illegally deporting Ukrainian children.

A representative from the Kremlin expressed no worries about the possibility of Mr. Putin being arrested during the visit.

A grand display unfolded in the heart of the capital as soldiers on horseback formed a line along Genghis Khan Square. The air was filled with the stirring melodies of martial anthems performed by a live band. All eyes were on the Russian leader as he met with Mongolian president Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh.

A small group of protesters convened at the square on Monday afternoon, brandishing a sign that boldly proclaimed their demand to remove "War Criminal Putin" from their midst.

A protest is scheduled for Tuesday at noon at Ulaanbaatar's Monument for the Politically Repressed. The monument commemorates those who endured hardships during Mongolia's Soviet-backed communist regime, which lasted for several decades.

Security forces prevented other protestors from approaching the Russian president upon his arrival.

Before his arrival, Ukraine had strongly requested that Mongolia detain Mr. Putin.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has urged the Mongolian authorities to comply with the compulsory international arrest warrant and extradite Putin to the International Criminal Court in the Hague. The ministry made this statement on Telegram.

Last year, the court made allegations against the Russian president, holding him accountable for war crimes. The focus of these allegations was on the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.

In addition, a warrant has been issued for the arrest of Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's commissioner for children's rights, on charges related to the same crimes.

According to reports, the crimes in question were said to have taken place in Ukraine starting from 24 February 2022, coinciding with Russia's full-scale invasion.

Moscow has consistently denied the allegations and criticized the warrants as "outrageous."

ICC members are obligated to apprehend individuals if an arrest warrant has been issued, but unfortunately, no mechanism is in place to ensure compliance.

Last week, the court based in The Hague made it clear that members had a duty to take action. Mongolia has yet to respond publicly to Ukraine or the ICC's call.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the former Soviet satellite state has consistently maintained amicable relations with Russia.

Rather than condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it has chosen not to vote on the conflict at the United Nations.

In addition to sharing a border with China, the landlocked nation also depends on Russia for its gas and electricity supply.

For years, Russia has been discussing constructing a pipeline that would transport an impressive 50 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas annually from its Yamal region to China, with Mongolia serving as a transit country.

A new project, Power of Siberia 2, is being implemented as a strategic measure to counterbalance Europe's decline in gas sales.

The decline has been caused by the widespread boycott of Russian resources in response to the invasion of Ukraine.