Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to Mongolia, a member of the International Criminal Court, this week, disregarding the court’s arrest warrant against him.
Putin’s trip, which is set for Sept. 3, will mark his first visit to a country that is a member of the ICC since the arrest warrant was issued against him in March 2023 over alleged war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine.
All of the court’s members are obligated to detain suspects whom the court has issued arrest warrants for if they step into their country.
“There are no worries. We have a great dialogue with our friends from Mongolia,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. He has previously dismissed the charges against Putin.
The Kremlin put out a statement noting the trip will be an official visit at Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh’s invitation “to participate in the ceremonial events dedicated to the 85th anniversary of the joint victory of the Soviet and Mongolian armed forces over the Japanese militarists on the c.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Kostin urged Mongolia to uphold its obligation to the Rome Statute, the court’s founding document.
“We hope for cooperation from the competent authorities of Mongolia and hope that the country’s leadership fully understands the importance of adhering to its obligations under international law and eliminating impunity for international crimes,” Kostin said.
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Putin declined to attend an international summit in South Africa during the summer of 2023 due to its membership in the court.
The court accused the Russian leader of being responsible for the thousands of children who have been forcibly deported to Russia, where they’ve undergone political reeducation training.