BRUSSELS/ULAANBAATAR: The European Union on Tuesday criticised Mongolia for failing to enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to the country.

“The EU regrets that Mongolia, a State Party to the Rome Statute of the ICC, did not comply with its obligations under the statute to execute the arrest warrant,” an EU spokesperson said in a statement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin received a red carpet welcome on a state visit to Mongolia, whose failure to arrest him under a warrant from the International Criminal Court was criticised by Ukraine as a blow against justice.

As he stepped out of his limousine in the capital Ulaanbaatar, Putin was greeted by his Mongolian counterpart Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh in front of a row of ceremonial guardsmen on horseback wearing helmets with pointed tops. The Kremlin leader stooped to kiss a young girl who stepped forward to welcome him in Russian and present him with flowers.

Russian president gets lavish welcome despite ICC warrant

An International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued last year against Putin obliges the court’s 124 member states, including Mongolia, to arrest the Russian president and transfer him to The Hague for trial if he sets foot on their territory.

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Mongolia’s failure to act on it was “a heavy blow to the International Criminal Court and the system of criminal law”, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhiy Tykhyi said.

“Mongolia has allowed an accused criminal to evade justice, thereby sharing responsibility for the war crimes,” he wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Ukraine, he said, would work with its allies to ensure Mongolia felt the consequences.

The ICC warrant accuses Putin of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine. The Kremlin has rejected the accusation, saying it is politically motivated.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last week that Moscow had no worries about any action in connection with the warrant, as Russia had a “great dialogue” with Mongolia and all aspects of the visit had been discussed in advance.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2024