U.S. State Department comments on Putin's visit to Mongolia

Washington understands the situation in which Mongolia finds itself between Russia and China, and calls on Ulaanbaatar to emphasize its support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine in talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

That’s according to State Department spokesman Matt Miller, who commented on the Russian president's visit to Mongolia on Tuesday, Ukrinform's own correspondent reports.

"We don’t believe any country should give Putin a platform to promote his war of aggression against Ukraine. We do expect Mongolia to adhere to its commitment and its support for the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty and territorial integrity," said the spokesman for the State Department.

He emphasized that the United States insists on the observance of these principles throughout the world.

At the same time, Miller expressed his understanding of the situation in which Mongolia itself found itself - "a much smaller country between two neighbors", Russia and China. In this context, the representative of the State Department assured that the United States will continue to support Mongolia. However, according to Miller, it is important that this country comply with international obligations.

"And it is important that if they do communicate with Russia, that they make clear that they support Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty," added the official.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Putin arrived in Mongolia on an official visit on September 2. It was his first trip to a country that had ratified the Rome Statute and was supposed to arrest the Russian leader on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.

In March 2023, the ICC in The Hague handed down an arrest warrant for Putin on suspicion of illegal deportation of children and illegal removal of Ukrainians to Russia.