Vladimir Putin received a grand welcome in Mongolia during a 24-hour visit, despite international calls for Mongolian authorities to arrest him. The Russian president, who has been wanted on an ICC arrest warrant since March 2023, returned safely to Russia on Tuesday evening.
Published on: 03/09/2024 – 20:01
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A quick visit without being bothered. Russian President Vladimir Putin was welcomed on a red carpet in Mongolia on Monday, September 2, during his first visit to a member country of the International Criminal Court (ICC) since the latter issued an arrest warrant against him.
His trip appeared to be a gesture of defiance towards the ICC, as war-torn Ukraine, as well as many Western countries and human rights organisations, are calling for his arrest. Despite these calls, the Russian president was greeted on Monday by the guard of honour. He was then received on Tuesday by his counterpart Ukhnaa Khurelsukh at a lavish ceremony on the vast Genghis Khan Square.
In this photo distributed by Russian state news agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin, accompanied by Battsetseg Batmunkh, Mongolia’s foreign minister, walks past honor guards upon his arrival at Ulaanbaatar airport on September 2, 2024. © Natalia Gubernatorova, AFP
“By going to Mongolia, Vladimir Putin is launching a challenge to the entire international community,” analyses Emmanuel Daoud, a lawyer at the Paris bar and at the ICC, on France 24, who describes this visit as a “snub” and a “fingered gesture” to the ICC.
Moreover, last week, the spokesman for the Russian presidency, Dmitry Peskov, said he had “no concerns” about this. “Of course, all aspects of the visit were carefully prepared,” he added, praising the “excellent dialogue with our Mongolian friends.”
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Since March 2023, the Russian president has been the subject of an ICC arrest warrant for suspicion of illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. Given the risk of arrest, the leader had preferred not to participate in the BRICS meetings in South Africa in August 2023 and the G20 in India the same year.
Verbal reprimand
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But in practice, the ICC cannot force its signatories. “The ICC has no police force to enforce its arrest warrants,” says Reed Brody, a war crimes prosecutor. “It depends entirely on the cooperation of member states, which can oppose it. And I think Vladimir Putin is trying to test that resistance.”
See also: Judging Vladimir Putin: wishful thinking?
On the other hand, when a member country does not fulfil its obligations towards the ICC, the latter can refer the matter to the Assembly of States Parties, which meets once a year but whose possible sanctions are essentially limited to a verbal reprimand.
According to Emmanuel Daoud, Mongolia should not be subject to sanctions. “It will be more of an educational approach, because international criminal justice, particularly at the ICC, is still quite young and is seeking to establish its credibility. It is therefore a question of credibility and respect for international commitments.”
“No final conviction”
In the past, other individuals subject to an arrest warrant from the Court have travelled to countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute without being disturbed. This is the case of the former Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir, targeted by two international arrest warrants issued by the ICC in 2009 and 2010 for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Darfur.
“So far, no State has ever surrendered a representative of another State to the ICC […] and no final conviction for serious crimes has ever been handed down against a state official by this court,” notes Reed Brody. “This is a real weakness of the ICC.”
For its part, Mongolia signed the Rome Statute in 2000, before ratifying it in 2002. Wedged between Russia and China, this vast country of 3.5 million inhabitants cannot afford to fall out with Moscow, which supplies it with “20% of its electricity” and “85% of its oil”, according to our correspondent Yena Lee, who mentions a “question of dependency”. The former satellite state of the Soviet Union seems ready to absorb criticism from the international community.
Also read: Emmanuel Macron in Mongolia, a strategic visit to a country with coveted underground resources
The country, which did not condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and abstained from voting on the conflict at the United Nations, “is forced to be an accomplice to Vladimir Putin’s impunity,” says Reed Brody, who nevertheless believes that “Mongolia is not satisfied with this situation.”
After the end of its visit on Tuesday, the European Union said it “regretted” that Mongolia “did not respect its obligations by executing the arrest warrant” issued by the Court against the Russian president, an EU spokesperson said in a statement.
Why did Mongolia choose to grant Vladimir Putin a grand welcome despite his ICC arrest warrant?
Putin Defies ICC Arrest Warrant with Grand Welcome in Mongolia
Russian President Vladimir Putin received a grand welcome in Mongolia during a 24-hour visit, despite international calls for Mongolian authorities to arrest him. The Russian president, who has been wanted on an ICC arrest warrant since March 2023, returned safely to Russia on Tuesday evening [[1]].
Putin’s trip to Mongolia, a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), was seen as a gesture of defiance towards the ICC. War-torn Ukraine, Western countries, and human rights organizations have been calling for his arrest, but Mongolian authorities chose not to act on the warrant [[2]]. Instead, Putin was greeted with a red carpet and a guard of honor, and later received by his counterpart Ukhnaa Khurelsukh at a lavish ceremony on the vast Genghis Khan Square [[3]].
The ICC issued an arrest warrant against Putin in March 2023 for suspicion of illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. This warrant has made it difficult for Putin to travel to countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute, as they are obligated to arrest him. However, Mongolia chose to ignore the warrant, and Putin’s visit was seen as a “snub” and a “fingered gesture” to the ICC [[3]].
Human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch, had called on Mongolia to arrest Putin or deny him entry into the country [[3]]. However, Mongolia’s dependence on Russia for electricity and oil made it unlikely to take any action against Putin.
The ICC’s inability to enforce its arrest warrants is a major weakness of the court. The ICC relies on the cooperation of member states to enforce its warrants, but often, these states fail to act. In the past, other individuals subject to ICC arrest warrants have traveled to countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute without being disturbed. This includes the former Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir, who was targeted by two international arrest warrants issued by the ICC in 2009 and 2010 for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed in Darfur.
The ICC’s limited power is a major concern for international criminal justice. As Reed Brody, a war crimes prosecutor, notes, “So far, no State has ever surrendered
What are the implications of Mongolia’s decision to welcome Putin despite the ICC arrest warrant?
Putin’s Defiance: A Grand Welcome in Mongolia Despite ICC Arrest Warrant
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently received a grand welcome in Mongolia, despite the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant against him. This 24-hour visit, which took place on September 2, 2024, marked Putin’s first trip to an ICC member country since the warrant was issued in March 2023. The ICC accused Putin of illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia, sparking international calls for his arrest. However, Mongolia chose to ignore these calls, instead rolling out the red carpet for the Russian president.
A Snub to the ICC
Putin’s visit to Mongolia was seen as a challenge to the entire international community, according to Emmanuel Daoud, a lawyer at the Paris bar and the ICC. Daoud described the visit as a “snub” and a “fingered gesture” to the ICC. The Russian president’s willingness to travel to Mongolia, despite the risk of arrest, demonstrates his defiance towards the ICC.
Mongolia’s Decision to Welcome Putin
The question on everyone’s mind is: why did Mongolia choose to grant Putin a grand welcome, despite his ICC arrest warrant? The answer lies in the country’s strategic interests. Mongolia has been strengthening its economic ties with Russia, and Putin’s visit was seen as an opportunity to deepen bilateral relations. Additionally, Mongolia may have been motivated by a desire to assert its independence and sovereignty, rather than bowing to international pressure.
The Limits of the ICC’s Power
The ICC’s inability to enforce its arrest warrants was highlighted by Putin’s visit to Mongolia. The court relies on the cooperation of member states to enforce its decisions, but in this case, Mongolia chose not to comply. As Reed Brody, a war crimes prosecutor, noted, “The ICC has no police force to enforce its arrest warrants… It depends entirely on the cooperation of member states, which can oppose it.”
Consequences of Mongolia’s Decision
Mongolia’s decision not to arrest
