Putin and Mongolian counterpart Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh hold talks in Ulaanbaatar

Russian President Vladimir Putin received lavish welcome from Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh as the Russian leader arrived for talks on Tuesday (September 3). The ceremony featured guards of honour in traditional dresses and orchestra. Talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mongolian counterpart Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh started in country's capital Ulaanbaatar on Tuesday (September 3).

 

Russia has been in talks for years about building the pipeline to carry 50 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas a year from its Yamal region to China via Mongolia.

 

The project, Power of Siberia 2, is part of Russia's strategy to compensate for the loss of most of its gas sales in Europe since the start of the Ukraine war. It is the planned successor to an existing pipeline of the same name which already supplies Russian gas to China and is due to reach its planned capacity of 38 bcm per year in 2025.

 

Ukraine urged Mongolia last week to arrest Putin on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court warrant last year, when it accused him of the war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine.

 

The Kremlin has dismissed the accusation, saying it is politically motivated, and has said it has no worries about Putin making the trip.

 

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.

 

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."