Shafaqna India: On Tuesday, the European Union criticized Mongolia for failing to enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to the country.
“The EU regrets that Mongolia, as a State Party to the Rome Statute of the ICC, did not fulfill its obligation to execute the arrest warrant,” an EU spokesperson stated.
Putin was welcomed with a lavish reception in Mongolia, where his failure to be arrested under the ICC warrant was condemned by Ukraine as a setback for justice.
Upon arriving in Ulaanbaatar, the Mongolian capital, Putin was warmly greeted by his counterpart, Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, and a ceremonial display of guardsmen on horseback. He also received flowers from a young girl who greeted him in Russian.
The ICC’s arrest warrant, issued last year, mandates that its 124 member states, including Mongolia, arrest Putin and transfer him to The Hague if he enters their territory.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Heorhiy Tykhyi, denounced Mongolia’s inaction as a significant blow to the ICC and the rule of law. He accused Mongolia of allowing an alleged war criminal to evade justice and suggested that Ukraine would seek to hold Mongolia accountable alongside its allies.
The ICC warrant accuses Putin of the illegal deportation of hundreds of Ukrainian children. The Kremlin has dismissed these accusations as politically motivated.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated last week that Moscow was unconcerned about any repercussions related to the warrant, noting that the visit had been thoroughly discussed with Mongolia and no issues were anticipated.