The warm reception that Russian President Vladimir Putin received in Mongolia was not an attempt to "prove" something to the West, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in response to a VGTRK reporter on September 3.
Mr. Peskov added that Moscow and Ulaanbaatar have been developing bilateral relations for a long time and do not consider it necessary to prove anything to anyone.
"Neither Mongolia nor Russia intends to show anything to Western countries. We are neighbors, close neighbors. Our goal is to develop bilateral relations, which have very deep historical roots, beautiful and glorious traditions, and we rely on them as we look to the future. Therefore, we do not intend to prove anything to anyone," Putin's spokesman stressed.
During his official visit to the neighboring country on September 3, Russian President Putin was warmly welcomed by host country President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh.
Mr Putin then held talks with Mongolian leaders, took part in celebrations marking the 85th anniversary of the victory in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, laid flowers at the monument to Soviet Marshal Georgy Zhukov and visited the Ulaanbaatar campus of the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.
The official welcoming ceremony for Russian President Vladimir Putin, hosted by Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, September 3, 2024. Photo: Kremlin.ru
Ahead of the trip, Mr Putin pointed to a number of “promising economic and industrial projects” between the two countries in an interview with the Mongolian newspaper Unuudur, shared by the Kremlin.
Among them is the project to build a pipeline to bring Russian gas through Mongolian territory to China, called the Power of Siberia 2 project.
The Russian president also said he was “interested in pursuing substantive work” towards a three-way summit between himself and the leaders of Mongolia and China.
Last October, during a meeting with Mr. Putin in China, Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh invited the Russian leader to visit the country in 2024. Mr. Putin's previous visit to Mongolia took place in 2019.
The Russian President's visit to Ulaanbaatar this time attracted attention because Mongolia, home to more than 3 million people and bordering Russia and China, is a signatory to the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Mr Putin in March last year on charges of illegally taking hundreds of children from Ukraine – a charge Moscow denies. ICC members are obliged to arrest suspects if an arrest warrant is issued, but the court has no enforcement mechanism.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhii called Mongolia's decision not to arrest Mr Putin "a heavy blow to the ICC and the international criminal justice system".
“Mongolia imports 95% of its petroleum products and more than 20% of its electricity from neighboring countries, and these supplies are vital to the country’s survival,” a Mongolian government spokesperson told Politico.
"Mongolia has always maintained a policy of neutrality in all diplomatic relations, as evidenced by our official statements so far," the spokesman added.
Minh Duc (According to TASS, Al Jazeera, RFE/RL)
Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/dien-kremlin-nga-mong-co-tang-cuong-quan-he-khong-gui-tin-hieu-toi-phuong-tay-204240904101835582.htm
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