Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit Mongolia next week, marking the first time he will travel to a country which is legally obligated to arrest him following the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing an arrest warrant for the Russian leader last March on allegations of overseeing war crimes and human rights abuses in Ukraine. The Kremlin says the visit is at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, with whom Putin will discuss prospects for further development of the Russian-Mongolian comprehensive strategic partnership.
Mongolia has long been vocal about its neutral stance on the Ukraine war and has maintained close regional ties with Russia, even holding joint military exercises this week. The visit comes at a time when Mongolia, Russia, and China have been having trilateral security summits in order to cooperate on regional matters of common concern.
While Putin’s visit to Mongolia raises questions about the implications of traveling to a country that has signed the Rome Statute – which requires member nations to comply with warrants issued by The Hague-based court – it is noteworthy that he decided to skip an in-person BRICS summit hosted in Johannesburg, South Africa in August 2023 due to its status as a Rome statute signatory. Instead, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attended the event, with Putin delivering a speech via video link.
The upcoming visit to Mongolia may highlight Russia’s efforts to promote the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline project with China, as suggested by regional analyst Samuel Ramani. However, it remains to be seen how this high-profile visit will impact the ongoing relationship between Russia and Mongolia, particularly in light of the ICC arrest warrant for Putin.
