Betrayal of Justice: Mongolia's Refusal to Arrest Putin Sparks Outrage in Ukraine

by Sasmita Larasati Sarosa

The Ministry of Foreign Affaris of Ukraine has strongly condemned Mongolia's recent decision not to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin, viewing it as a major setback for international law and justice. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has an arrest warrant out for Putin for suspected war crimes, including the forcible expulsion of children from Ukraine. The Ukrainian government has requested Mongolia to hold Putin in custody. If he enters any of the ICC's member states, including Mongolia, they are required by this warrant to arrest him (Reuters, 2024a).

Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesman– Heorhiy Tykhyi–, said that Mongolia's passivity is "a heavy blow to the International Criminal Court and the system of criminal law." He underlined that Mongolia has some of the guilt for the war crimes that Putin is accused of committing by permitting a wanted criminal to escape prosecution. Tykhyi said that Ukraine would work with its friends to make sure Mongolia paid a price for its inaction (Reuters, 2024b).

Putin's trip to Mongolia was mainly intended to discuss plans for a new gas pipeline that would link China and Russia, suggesting a strategic alliance between the two countries. With spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claiming that Russia has a strong dialogue with Mongolia and that every detail of Putin's visit was planned, the Kremlin has minimized the relevance of the ICC warrant (Hopkins & Pierson, 2024). Notwithstanding, the legal ramifications of the ICC's operations, Russia's trust in its diplomatic relations is demonstrated by this answer.

Beyond only bilateral ties, the consequences of Mongolia's inability to detain Putin pose questions about the reliability and efficacy of the ICC itself. Amnesty International and other critics contend that such measures could encourage other countries to flout international law, so threatening the credibility of the ICC and its capacity to prosecute war criminals (Kelly, 2024)

This incident, seen in a larger context, highlights the persistent conflicts concerning the application of human rights standards and international justice. The effectiveness of international legal systems in addressing abuses of human rights and war crimes is called into doubt by the ICC's incapacity to force member nations to act on arrest warrants, especially in politically sensitive cases.

The way Ukraine responds to Mongolia's decision would likely impact future diplomatic relations as it deals with the fallout from the current conflict with Russia. As nations negotiate the complexity of international politics in the midst of war crimes and humanitarian disasters, the scenario emphasizes the delicate balance between international commitments and national interests.

References

Hopkins, V., & Pierson, D. (2024). Putin Begins Meetings in Mongolia in Defiance of I.C.C. Arrest Warrant. https://nytimes.com/2024/09/02/world/europe/putin-mongolia.html
Kelly, K. (2024). Ukraine demands Mongolia arrest Putin during official visit. Retrieved 3 September from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/09/03/ukraine-russia-war-latest-news23/
Reuters. (2024a). Ukraine condemns Mongolia’s failure to arrest Putin during visit. Retrieved 3 September from https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2024/09/03/ukraine-condemns-mongolia-s-failure-to-arrest-putin-during-visit
Reuters. (2024b). Ukraine Criticises Mongolia's Failure to Arrest Putin. https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2024-09-02/ukraine-criticises-mongolias-failure-to-arrest-putin