Ukraine has urged Mongolia to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin before he visits the country next week, the first for a country that is a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) since the body issued a warrant for his arrest.
The court accused Mr Putin of war crimes, saying he failed to stop the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia since the conflict began.
An ICC spokesman told the BBC that Mongolian officials were “responsible” for compliance with ICC rules, but clarified that this did not mean they should be arrested.
The Kremlin said it had “no concerns” about the visit, which is scheduled to take place next Tuesday.
“We have very good relations with our Mongolian partners,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow.
“Yes, every aspect of the president’s visit has been carefully prepared.”
Dr Fadi el-Abdallah, spokesman for the ICC, told the BBC on Friday that the court’s member states – including Mongolia – “have an obligation to cooperate in accordance with Chapter IX of the Rome Statute” – the agreement that established the court. .
The agreement states that in some cases, states can be exempted from the obligation to arrest when they would be forced to “breach a treaty obligation” with another country or when it would violate “the political immunity of a person or property of a third party.” country”.
“If there is a conflict, the judges of the ICC can find that and inform the Assembly of States Parties about it. Then it is up to the Assembly to take any action it deems appropriate,” said Dr. al-Abdallah.
The court last year accused the Russian president of war crimes, focusing on the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. It also issued an arrest warrant for Russia’s children’s rights commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, on similar charges.
It said the crimes were committed in Ukraine from 24 February 2022 – when Russia launched its full-scale offensive.
Moscow has previously denied the allegations and called the warrants “outrageous”.
The ICC does not have the power to arrest suspects, and can exercise jurisdiction within its member states.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said it hoped Mongolia “knows that Vladimir Putin is a war criminal” and asked the country’s authorities to arrest the Russian leader and hand him over to prosecutors in The Hague, which is the ICC headquarters in the Netherlands. .
The BBC has contacted the Mongolian embassy in London for comment.
Last year, Mr Putin has canceled attending a conference in South Africa following the ICC warrant for his arrest.
As a sign of the court, South Africa must detain the accused in its territory, but President Ramaphosa has warned that Russia will see this as a declaration of war.
Mr Ramaphosa said that the decision for the Russian leader not to attend was “consistent”.
The BBC has contacted the Mongolian Embassy for comment.
Note: This article has been updated following clarifications from the ICC.
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