Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Mongolia on Tuesday (3 September 2024) with no signal of the host nation giving in to requires his arrest on a global warrant for alleged conflict crimes stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
That is Putin’s first journey to an ICC member nation because the court docket issued the arrest warrant some 18 months in the past. Earlier than his go to, Ukraine known as on Mongolia at hand Putin over to the court docket in The Hague, and the European Union expressed concern that Mongolia won’t perform the order. A spokesman for Putin stated final week that the Kremlin was not involved.
The court docket order places the Mongolian authorities in a troublesome place. After many years underneath communism and shut ties to the Soviet Union, it transitioned to democracy within the Nineties and has constructed relationships with america, Japan and different new companions. Nevertheless it stays economically depending on its two a lot bigger and extra highly effective neighbors, Russia and China. Russia provides the landlocked nation with most of its gasoline and a substantial quantity of its electrical energy.
The ICC has accused Putin of being liable for the kidnappings of youngsters in Ukraine, the place combating has been ongoing for 2 and a half years. Member international locations are obliged to detain suspects if an arrest warrant has been issued, however Mongolia wants to take care of good relations with Russia and the court docket lacks a mechanism to implement its orders.
The Russian chief was greeted in the primary sq. of the capital Ulaanbaatar by an honour guard wearing deep purple and blue uniforms impressed by these of the non-public guard of Thirteenth-century ruler Genghis Khan, the founding father of the Mongol Empire.
A crowd of spectators watched from behind momentary limitations as Putin and Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa walked up the red-carpeted steps of the Authorities Palace and bowed to a statue of Genghis Khan earlier than coming into the constructing for his or her conferences.
A small group of protesters who tried to unfurl a Ukrainian flag earlier than the welcoming ceremony had been stopped by police. 5 different protesters who had gathered a couple of blocks west of the sq. held up an anti-Putin banner and a Ukrainian flag, however dispersed upon listening to of the arrests.
The 2 governments signed agreements on the feasibility research and design of modernizing an influence plant in Ulan Bator and on guaranteeing the continued provide of aviation gasoline to Mongolia. Putin additionally outlined plans to develop the railway system between the 2 international locations.
The 2 governments signed agreements on a feasibility research and design for an influence plant improve in Ulaanbaatar to make sure provides of aviation gasoline to Mongolia. One other settlement included an environmental research of a river on which Mongolia hopes to construct a hydroelectric plant that Russia says would pollute Lake Baikal on the Russian aspect. Putin additionally outlined plans to develop the rail system between the 2 international locations.
Khurelsukh invited the Mongolian president to attend a summit of the BRICS international locations (a bunch that features Russia and China, amongst others) within the Russian metropolis of Kazan in late October. Khurelsukh accepted, in response to Russian state information company RIA Novosti.
On Monday (1 September 2024), the EU stated it had shared with Mongolian authorities its issues that the ICC warrant won’t be applied.
“Mongolia, like all different international locations, has the proper to develop its worldwide ties in response to its personal pursuits,” stated European Fee spokesperson Nabila Massrali, including that Mongolia has been a member of the ICC since 2002, “with the authorized obligations that this entails.”
Greater than 50 Russians overseas signed an open letter urging the Mongolian authorities to “instantly detain Vladimir Putin upon arrival.” Amongst them was Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was launched from a Russian jail in August within the largest prisoner change between East and West because the Chilly Warfare.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy secretary of Russia’s Safety Council, denounced the order as “unlawful” in a web-based assertion on Tuesday and known as those that attempt to carry it out “loopy.”
Mr Putin, on his first go to to Mongolia in 5 years, took half in a ceremony to mark the eighty fifth anniversary of a joint Soviet-Mongol victory over the Japanese military when it managed Manchuria in north-east China. Hundreds of troopers from each side died in months of combating in 1939 over the situation of the border between Manchuria and Mongolia.
“I’m very glad about Putin’s go to to Mongolia,” stated Yansanjav Demdendorj, a retired economist, citing Russia’s position in opposition to Japan. “If we take into consideration the battle, it was the Russians who helped liberate Mongolia.”
Uyanga Tsoggerel, who helps the protests, stated her nation is a democracy that doesn’t tolerate dictatorship and accused Putin of “recklessly humiliating and embarrassing Mongolia in entrance of the world.”
Putin has made a collection of international journeys in latest months to attempt to counter the worldwide isolation he faces over the invasion of Ukraine. He visited China in Could, made a visit to North Korea and Vietnam in June and was in Kazakhstan in July for a gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Group.
However Kenneth Roth, a former long-time director of Human Rights Watch, described Putin’s journey to Mongolia as “an indication of weak spot” and wrote in X that the Russian chief “might solely undertake a visit to a rustic with a tiny inhabitants of three.4 million that lives in Russia’s shadow.”
Final yr, in 2023, the South African authorities lobbied for Putin to not seem in Johannesburg for the BRICS summit, which he ultimately attended by video convention. South Africa, an ICC member, was condemned by activists and its predominant opposition get together in 2015 when it did not detain then-Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir throughout a go to for an African Union summit.
Enkhgerel Seded, who research at a Moscow college, stated that traditionally, international locations with pleasant relations don’t arrest heads of state on official visits.
“Our nation has obligations to the worldwide group,” he stated. “However… I believe that on this case it will not be acceptable to hold out an arrest both.”
