Lithuania has criticised Mongolia, a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), over the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to the country.
“This is yet another example of another crack in the system based on international law," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told reporters on Tuesday.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin last year on war crimes charges, including the illegal deportation of hundreds of Ukrainian children since Moscow launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The warrant means that Putin should be arrested in any country recognising ICC rulings, but Ulaanbaatar is ignoring it.
“This is totally unacceptable, and Lithuania has expressed its displeasure to representatives of the Mongolian government. I think this is not the last appeal,” the minister stressed.
“The Nordic and Baltic countries are still coordinating a joint statement within the EU,” he added.
Ukraine has reacted very negatively to Putin’s trip and accused Mongolia of bearing part of the responsibility for the Russian president’s war crimes because the country’s officers failed to detain him at the airport.
Kyiv has also called on the Mongolian authorities to execute the arrest warrant, and the ICC said last week that all its member countries must detain those wanted by the court.
The Mongolian government is yet to comment on the calls for Putin’s arrest.
However, a spokesman for Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh denied reports on Sunday on social media that the ICC had sent a letter requesting the warrant to be executed upon Putin’s arrival.
“Pressure from the public and the international community is the only remedy,” Landsbergis said about the situation.
Russia does not recognise the ICC’s jurisdiction.
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