Mongolian officials “have the obligation” to arrest Vladimir Putin if he visits the country next week, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has said.
The trip, expected to happen on Tuesday, will be the first time the Russian leader has visited an ICC member nation since the court ordered his arrest in March 2023.
The court alleges Mr Putin is responsible for war crimes, saying he failed to stop the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia since the conflict began.
Despite officials in Ukraine demanding that Mongolia arrest Mr Putin once he arrives in the country, the Kremlin said it had “no worries” about the visit.
“We have an excellent rapport with our partners from Mongolia,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow.
“Of course, all aspects of the President’s visit have been carefully prepared.”
Dr Fadi el-Abdallah, a spokesperson for the ICC, told the BBC on Friday that the court relies on its States Parties – including Mongolia – to “execute its decisions”.
He said Mongolia, like other ICC signatories, has the “obligation to cooperate”. This includes complying with arrest warrants such as the one the court issued for Mr Putin’s arrest in 2023.
The court alleged the Russian president is responsible for war crimes, focusing on the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. It has also issued a warrant for the arrest of Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, for the same crimes.
It said the crimes were committed in Ukraine from 24 February 2022 – when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Moscow has previously denied the allegations and labelled the warrants as “outrageous”.
