Mongolia in Hot Water for Ignoring Putin's Arrest Warrant

Last month, Mongolia welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin with open arms, despite an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes. The ICC wasn't happy about this and reported Mongolia to its oversight body. The warrant came after Putin was accused of illegally deporting Ukrainian children to Russia. Although Russia isn't part of the ICC, the court's rules say countries should arrest and hand over anyone with a warrant, no matter who they are.

Mongolia chose to ignore calls from Ukraine and the European Union to arrest Putin during his visit to Ulaanbaatar. They even gave him a fancy welcome in the city's main square. This wasn't the first time Putin visited an ICC member country since the warrant was issued, but it was the first time a country was reported for not arresting him. The ICC has now referred Mongolia's actions to the Assembly of States Parties, which will meet in December in The Hague. This group can take any measures they think are right, but it's not clear what will happen next. This case raises important questions about how the ICC's rules are enforced and whether countries can pick and choose when to follow them.

Actions