Mongolia has ratified the Rome Statute, which obliges the country to arrest the dictator, Zelenskyy stressed.

Read also: U.S. State Department responds to Putin’s visit to Mongolia, where he was not detained

“I think this is Mongolia’s answer regarding international law, whether they respect it or not,” said the Ukrainian leader.

“No, they do not respect it. They respect Putin more than international law.”

The president is convinced that the disregard of a few countries for international law will not help the dictator avoid responsibility.

“Most countries will still be waiting for accountability, and it will come,” Zelenskyy stated.

Putin’s visit to Mongolia

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Mongolia on an official visit on Sept. 2.

Since 2000, Mongolia has been a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and ratified the Rome Statute in 2003. The country is obliged to comply with the decisions of the ICC judges, who issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and Russian Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova on March 17, 2023.

Bloomberg, citing sources, reported on Aug. 30 that the Mongolian government assured Russia that it would not arrest Putin.

That same day, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on Mongolia to arrest Putin and hand him over to the ICC.

ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah stated that Mongolia is obliged to arrest Putin if he visits the country. The ICC representative added that the judges will consider cases of “non-cooperation” from signatory parties and inform the Assembly of States Parties, which can “take any measures it deems appropriate.”

Read also:

・Mongolia helps Putin ‘evade justice’ — Ukraine

・Ukrainian Prosecutor General condemns Mongolia for refusing to arrest Putin

European Commission spokesperson Nabila Massrali said on Sept. 2 that Mongolia has the right to develop relations with other countries but is obliged to arrest war criminal Vladimir Putin in accordance with the ICC warrant.