Mongolia assured the Russian side that it would not comply with the International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for the "arrest" of Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to the country, Bloomberg reports citing sources.
"Russian President Vladimir Putin received assurances ahead of a planned visit to Mongolia that he won't be arrested for alleged war crimes under a warrant from the International Criminal Court, according to two people familiar with the Kremlin's preparations," the publication said.
Mongolia, as a member of the ICC, is obliged to "arrest" the Russian leader in accordance with the warrant, Bloomberg noted.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia had no concerns about Mongolia's participation in the ICC Rome Statute in connection with Putin's upcoming visit to the country.
"We have a wonderful dialogue with our friends in Mongolia," Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said noting that all aspects of the visit had been carefully prepared.
On March 17, 2023, the ICC issued a warrant for the "arrest" of Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was specified that such a decision was made against the backdrop of the crisis in Ukraine. Official representative for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova stated that ICC decisions had no significance for Moscow as Russia was not a party to the Rome Statute (Russia pulled out from the ICC jurisdiction in 2016).
Mongolia will be the first ICC country that Putin will be visiting after the ICC issued a warrant for his arrest. Putin is going to visit Mongolia on September 3.
Mongolia's Foreign Ministry held a meeting with diplomats from many countries on Thursday to explain Putin's visit, Bloomberg reports.
The countries that signed the Rome Statute, the court's founding document, are obliged to comply with the ICC warrant and arrest Putin if he appears on their territory. Last year, the Russian president did not attend the BRICS summit in South Africa, which also pledged to obey the ICC.
Six months ago, Mongolian candidate Erdenebalsuren Damdin, who studied at the department of law of the Irkutsk State University in Russia, commenced his ICC Judge mandate. Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa called the event a sign of Mongolia's "growing reputation in the international arena."
Putin will take part in the ceremonial events to mark the 85th anniversary of the joint victory of Soviet and Mongolian troops over the Japan at the Khalkhin Gol River.
Russia plans to build a new gas pipeline, Power of Siberia 2, through Mongolia to China. Details of the project have not been fully agreed upon yet. According to The South China Morning Post, Mongolia did not include the funding for the project in its new five-year economic plan.