ICC says Mongolia should arrest Putin during coming visit, Putin not worried

Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Russia said Friday Vladimir Putin isn't worried about being arrested on an International Criminal Court warrant for war crimes during a planned visit next week to Mongolia. The ICC said Mongolia has an obligation to arrest him.

"No, there are no worries . We have a wonderful dialogue with our friends from Mongolia." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a statement carried by Russian state-owned news outlet RIA Novosti,

International Criminal Court spokesman Dr. Fadi el-Abdallah told the BBC Friday that the court relies on nations that are ICC signatories like Mongolia to " execute its decisions ."

He said Mongolia has an "obligation to cooperate."

Putin's visit is set for Tuesday, Sept. 3.

Ukraine's foreign ministry called on Mongolia to arrest Putin.

"The Ukrainian Side hopes that the Government of Mongolia is aware of the fact that Vladimir Putin is a war criminal," Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement . "The International Criminal Court, the jurisdiction of which is recognized by Mongolia, has issued a warrant for his arrest on suspicion of the illegal forced transfer of Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation."

Ukraine said the abduction of children is one of many war crimes for which Putin and Russia's military and political leadership must be brought to justice.

"These individuals are guilty of the war of aggression against Ukraine, atrocities against the Ukrainian people, murders, rapes, robberies, shelling of civilian infrastructure, and genocide," Ukraine's foreign ministry said. "

In March 2023 the ICC issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and children's commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova for illegally transferring children from Ukraine to Russia.

The ICC is not recognized by Russia or the United States.