The International Criminal Court is seeking to remind its members state Mongolia that it must detain Russian President Vladimir Putin when he arrives in the country which shares a border with Russia on Monday.
Any country that signed the Rome Statute, which Mongolia has done, will "have the obligation to cooperate in accordance with Chapter IX," a statement by The Hague-based court told the BBC.
ICC spokesman Fadi el-Abdallah went so far as to threaten significant repercussions for Mongolia if it does not comply.
"In case of non-cooperation, ICC judges may make a finding to that effect and inform the Assembly of States Parties of it. It is then for the Assembly to take any measure it deems appropriate," he said.
The only exceptions that the Rome Statute does provide includes avoiding the violation of a treaty obligation with another country, or if an arrest would violate the "diplomatic immunity of a person or property of a third state."
To be expected, Ukraine too is calling on Mongolia to abide by its obligations with the International Criminal Court and arrest Putin.
This impending trip marks the first time that Putin will travel to a country which is legally obligated to arrest him, following the ICC issuing its arrest warrant for him last March on allegations of overseeing war crimes and human rights abuses in Ukraine.
The Kremlin says is that the visit is at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh. While Putin is there, the two leaders will attend a ceremony commemorating the 1939 Soviet-Mongolian victory over Japan in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol.
"The heads of state will discuss prospects for further development of the Russian-Mongolian comprehensive strategic partnership,” the Kremlin described. Regional analyst Samuel Ramani
Mongolia has long vocalized that it remains neutral on the question of the Ukraine war. Mongolia and Russia have also long been close regional allies, even this week having held joint military exercises.
In August of 2023 President Putin decided to skip an in person BRICS summit hosted in Johannesburg, South Africa - precisely because the host country is a Rome statute signatory.
#Putin en route to Mongolia. pic.twitter.com/uGUErGOWQn
— Manu Gómez (@gosthdarkconrad)
Moscow has emphasized of this week's events in the Mongolian capital that it expects everything to go smoothly. "We have an excellent rapport with our partners from Mongolia," spokesperson for the Russian presidency Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a fresh statement. "Of course, all aspects of the president’s visit have been carefully prepared."