We continue to discourage any government from hosting President Vladimir Putin or providing him with a platform to promote a war of aggression. We have conveyed these concerns to the Mongolian government, a State Department spokesman said, commenting on the Russian leader's visit to the country and Ulaanbaatar's defiance of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Putin. The European Union expressed regret that the dictator had not been arrested.
– As we have said before, we do not believe that any country should give Putin the opportunity to promote aggression against Ukraine. There is no doubt that the representatives of the armed forces Russia and other Russian officials commit war crimes or otherwise violate international law in Ukraine. We have made it clear that those responsible must be punished, the State Department spokesman told PAP when asked about the reaction to the Russian dictator's ongoing visit to Mongolia.
Vladimir Putin's visit to MongoliaPAP/EPA/VYACHESLAV PROKOFYEV /SPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL
“We continue to discourage any government from hosting President Putin or providing him with a platform to promote an aggressive war. We have conveyed these concerns to the Mongolian government,” he added.
Putin's visit to Mongolia
Putin's visit to Mongolia is controversial as it is the first time the Russian leader has visited a country that recognizes the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court since the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March 2023 for crimes against humanity, including the systematic illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.
Vladimir Putin's visit to MongoliaPAP/EPA/VYACHESLAV PROKOFYEV /SPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL
On Monday, the spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry threatened that – in response to the Mongolian authorities' decision – Kiev will “work with partners to ensure that this will be met with consequences for Ulan Bator.”
Bordering Russia and China Mongolia maintains good relations with Western countries, including the USA.
Vladimir Putin's visit to MongoliaPAP/EPA/VYACHESLAV PROKOFYEV /SPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL
– When the Secretary (of State of the United States) Antony Blinken went to Ulan Bator in August, United States and Mongolia underscored the importance of our (bilateral) relations and emphasized the shared democratic values and strategic interests that closely link Washington and Ulaanbaatar. The Secretary also reaffirmed the United States' commitment to the strategic partnership (with Mongolia) and efforts to support the country's economic resilience, the State Department spokesman told PAP.
European Union: We regret that Mongolia has not arrested Vladimir Putin
A statement was also issued by EU diplomacy spokesman Peter Stano. European Union Regrets that Mongolia, a state party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, has not fulfilled its obligations to execute the arrest warrant against the President of Russia Vladimir Putin – transferred.
“President Putin is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the ICC for international crimes, in particular the crimes of unlawful deportation and unlawful transfer of children from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine in the context of his illegal war of aggression against Ukraine,” the spokesman wrote.
He added that the EU expresses its strong support for efforts to ensure full accountability for war crimes and other most serious crimes in connection with Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
Main image source: PAP/EPA/VYACHESLAV PROKOFYEV /SPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL