Mongolia’s energy dependence is complicating the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), a Mongolian government spokesman told Politico.
Putin visited Mongolia at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, marking his first trip to an ICC member country that has ratified the Rome Statute, which obliges signatories to arrest Putin if he enters their territory.
In March, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin for the forcible transfer of children from the territory of Ukraine under Russian occupation.
Both Ukraine and the West have called on Mongolia to arrest the Russian president. After the country failed to do so, Heorhii Tykhyi, a spokesman for Ukraine’s foreign ministry, said Mongolia would face the “consequences” of its decision.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on August 30th that Putin’s visit was being prepared “carefully”, adding that the Russian government had “no concerns” about the trip.
“Mongolia imports 95% of its oil products and over 20% of its electricity from our immediate neighborhood (Russia), which was previously interrupted for technical reasons. This supply is crucial to ensure our existence and the existence of our people,” said a government spokesman. Mongolia.
According to him, Mongolia has always maintained a “policy of neutrality” in its diplomatic relations.
Mongolia did not actively support Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but also abstained from voting to condemn it at the United Nations (UN), Klix.ba writes.
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