Mongolia cites energy dependency and neutrality for not detaining Putin under ICC warrant
The Mongolian government has justified its decision not to detain Russian President Vladimir Putin under the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant by pointing to the country's energy dependency and its policy of neutrality, reported Politico, citing a government spokesperson in Ulaanbaatar.
Addressing the issue, the official declared that 95% of Mongolia's petroleum products and more than 20% of its electricity are imported from neighboring countries. "These supplies are crucial for our survival and the well-being of our people," the government representative told Politico. "Mongolia has consistently maintained a policy of neutrality in all diplomatic relations."
Mongolia's failure to comply with the ICC warrant, which it is a party to, may result in legal repercussions, according to an unnamed legal expert quoted by the publication.
Ahead of Putin's visit to Ulaanbaatar, the European Union, Ukraine, and international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, urged Mongolia to adhere to its ICC obligations. Meanwhile, according to Bloomberg, Mongolia reassured Putin that he wouldn't be arrested during his stay.
President Putin's visit to Mongolia, at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, was to partake in commemorations of the 85th anniversary of the joint victory of Soviet and Mongolian forces over Japanese military forces at the Battle of Khalkhin Gol. This marks Putin's first visit to a country that has signed the ICC Rome Statute since March 2023, when the ICC issued the arrest warrant against him for the alleged transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia. Mongolia became a signatory to the Rome Statute in 2000 and ratified it in 2002.