Putin arrives in Mongolia as ICC arrest warrant looms

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Mongolian counterpart Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh in Ulaanbaatar on Tuesday, his first visit to an International Criminal Court member state since a warrant was issued for his arrest nearly 18 months ago on war crimes charges.

Ukraine last week called on Mongolia to arrest Putin and hand him over to the ICC in The Hague, but a Kremlin spokesperson reportedly brushed off suggestions that the Russian leader could be detained, citing Russia’s “wonderful dialogue” with the East Asian country.

An ICC spokesperson confirmed to The Associated Press Mongolia’s obligation under the terms of the Rome Statute to cooperate with the Court, but did not expand on what measures might be taken against Mongolia in cases of non-cooperation.

While it is unlikely that Mongolia will arrest Putin, the ICC’s warrant has previously complicated Putin’s travel plans: The Russian president did not attend last year’s summit of leaders of the BRICS grouping in South Africa over uncertainty about whether Johannesburg would comply with the decision.