Russia has said it is not worried that Mongolia could arrest President Vladimir Putin during his visit there next week, despite the International Criminal Court saying the member country had an "obligation" to detain the Russian leader.
Mr Putin will travel to Mongolia on Tuesday, his first trip to an ICC member since The Hague-based court issued a warrant for his arrest over the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children in March 2023.
"There are no worries, we have a great dialogue with our friends from Mongolia," Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Asked if Russia had discussed the arrest warrant with Mongolia ahead of Mr Putin's trip, he said: "All aspects of the visit were carefully prepared."
Russia does not recognise the jurisdiction of the ICC.
Court spokesman Fadi el-Abdallah told reporters that states that have signed up to the Rome Statute that underpins the Court, "have the obligation to cooperation."
Though there is little the court can do if Mongolia does not comply.
Ukraine had called for Mongolia to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin when he visits the country, which is a member of the ICC.
"The Ukrainian side hopes that the Government of Mongolia is aware of the fact that Vladimir Putin is a war criminal," the foreign ministry said, adding "we call on the Mongolian authorities to execute the binding international arrest warrant".
Mongolia has been a member of the ICC for more than two decades, having ratified the Rome Statute in 2002. Last year the first Mongolian judge was elected to the court.
Under the treaty, each ICC member would be expected to implement the warrant if Mr Putin were to set foot on its territory.
Moscow has brushed off the warrant, but Mr Putin, while already vastly scaling down foreign visits since launching the Ukraine offensive in 2022, has not travelled to ICC member states until now.
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March 2023.
It said there were "reasonable grounds to believe" that he "bears responsibility for the war crime of unlawful deportation" of Ukrainian children - living in areas of the country that Russian forces took control of - to Russia.
Russia also said its ally Armenia joining the court earlier this year - meaning it would be obliged to arrest Putin if he travels there - was an "unfriendly step."
ICC can do little to force Mongolia's hand
"The ICC relies on its States Parties and other partners to execute its decisions including in relation to arrest warrants. States Parties to the ICC Rome Statute have the obligation to cooperate," spokesman el-Abdallah said in response to questions about Mr Putin's upcoming visit.
But the ICC has no police of its own and little it can do to force Mongolia's hand, or punish it if it does not comply.
Should Mongolia choose not to arrest Putin, ICC judges can report the matter to the ICC's managing body called the Assembly of States Parties, which meets once a year.
Such referrals in the past have had limited success, with the assembly's options confined mainly to verbal sanctions against errant states.
Of the 49 arrest warrants issued since 2002, only 21 have resulted in detentions and court appearances.
