The Kremlin announced on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had arrived in Mongolia for a state visit to a country that lies along the proposed route for a new gas pipeline connecting Russia and China. Russia has been negotiating for years to construct this pipeline, which aims to transport 50 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas annually from its Yamal region to China via Mongolia.

This project, known as Power of Siberia 2, is part of Russia's strategy to offset the loss of the majority of its gas sales in Europe following the onset of the Ukraine war. It is intended as a successor to the existing pipeline of the same name, which already delivers Russian gas to China and is expected to reach its planned capacity of 38 bcm per year by 2025.

The new venture has faced delays due to key issues, particularly the pricing of the gas. However, on the eve of his visit, Putin stated that preparatory work, including feasibility and engineering studies, was progressing as planned. He is scheduled to hold talks with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Mongolia defied an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant issued for his arrest, even though it is an ICC member.

The warrant obliges the court's 124 member states, including Mongolia, to arrest Putin and transfer him to The Hague for trial if he sets foot on their territory. As a member of the ICC, Mongolia was obligated to arrest Putin but chose not to comply.

The European Union and Ukraine have both recently reminded the East Asian nation of its obligation to arrest Putin, but Russian officials have stated they have "no worries" regarding his visit.

The ICC warrant, issued in March 2023, accuses Putin of war crimes, specifically related to the deportation and transfer of children from occupied regions of Ukraine to Russia.

There is no indication yet that Mongolia intends to arrest Putin. If it fails to do so, experts suggest that the country may face prosecution for its inaction.

Asked whether there had been discussions with Mongolian authorities about the ICC warrant, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last week that "all of the aspects of the visit have been thoroughly discussed."

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry stated on Monday that Mongolia's failure to arrest visiting Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, who is wanted on an international warrant, has dealt a severe blow to the international criminal law system.

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhiy Tykhyi said that Mongolia's failure to detain Putin was "a heavy blow to the International Criminal Court and the system of criminal law."

"Mongolia has allowed an accused criminal to evade justice, thereby sharing responsibility for the war crimes," he wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Ukraine, he said, would work with its allies to ensure Mongolia felt the consequences.

Image source: Reuters