The Baltic states of Estonia and Lithuania, two of Ukraine’s most ardent supporters in its war against Russia, have criticised Mongolia for welcoming Russian President Vladimir Putin despite an international arrest warrant.
“The fact that the Mongolian government decided to roll out the red carpet instead of arresting (Putin) greatly undermines the ICC and the international justice system,” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said in a statement on Tuesday, referring to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Putin over Russia’s war in Ukraine, and Mongolia recognizes the court. However, his arrest is considered highly unlikely due to Mongolia’s economic dependence on Russia and its other neighbor, China.
Putin met his Mongolian counterpart Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh at the start of his visit to the country on Tuesday. It was the first time since the extradition order was issued in March 2023 that the Kremlin leader had traveled to a country that would legally have to extradite him to a court in the Netherlands.
“Mongolia had a historic opportunity to contribute to the end of the Russian war in Ukraine, but they decided to miss that chance,” Tsahkna said.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis called the Mongolian government’s decision to ignore the arrest warrant against Putin “unacceptable.”
“This is yet another example of a system based on international law that is faltering,” he said, quoted by the BNS news agency.