Putin’s Mongolia Visit Sparks Tension: Ukraine Demands Arrest

Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit Mongolia on Tuesday for an official visit. Ukraine has called on Mongolia to arrest Putin upon his arrival, citing a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The warrant, issued in March 2023, accuses Putin of the illegal deportation of hundreds of children from Ukraine. The Kremlin has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated. Mongolia, as a member state of the ICC, is obligated to arrest Putin and hand him over to the court in The Hague if he enters their territory. While the Kremlin has expressed no concern about the trip, Ukrainian officials have urged Mongolian authorities to comply with the ICC’s arrest warrant. Putin’s visit to Mongolia will be his first trip to a country that is a signatory of the Rome Statute (the founding treaty of the ICC) since the warrant was issued against him. The visit is expected to focus on strengthening bilateral relations and discussing regional and global issues.