Russia's Kremlin asserts that no one can hinder the country after Putin evades arrest in Mongolia.

• Russian President Vladimir Putin's trip to Mongolia at the start of the week was successful, resulting in a sense of smug self-satisfaction from the Kremlin on Wednesday.
• Putin was given a warm welcome, met with his Mongolian counterpart, and discussed trade and bilateral relations without being arrested.
• Russia cannot be hindered from establishing relationships with other "interested" nations, the Kremlin stated on Wednesday.

Despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, Russian President Vladimir Putin's trip to Mongolia at the start of the week went without a hitch, resulting in a sense of self-satisfaction from the Kremlin on Wednesday.

Putin received a warm welcome, met with his Mongolian counterpart, and discussed trade and bilateral relations with a country that relies on Russian investment and is not likely to object to its actions in Ukraine.

The real bonus for the Kremlin is that its leader was not detained during the process.

Putin was subject to arrest and detention by Mongolia as a member of the ICC since March 2023, when he landed on Mongolian soil Monday night, due to an international arrest warrant on war crimes charges related to the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.

The Kremlin claims it does not recognize the ICC warrant, and during Putin's visit to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia disregarded its responsibilities to detain him, resulting in backlash from the court, Ukraine, and its European allies, who strongly condemned the move.

The Kremlin stated that institutions such as the ICC cannot limit Russia's relationships with the "global majority" following the successful completion of the trip during which Putin and Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh signed agreements on energy and petroleum product supplies, the reconstruction of a power plant, and environmental protection.

According to Russian state news agency Tass, Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that the ICC will not hinder the development of Russia's relations with partner states interested in bilateral relations and international contacts.

He stated that the global majority has a more comprehensive outlook on international cooperation than the ICC's narrow perspective.

The global majority showed "great interest" in the country, according to Peskov.

"And we are also interested," he said.

Analysts argue that Mongolia must decide whether to fulfill its obligations to the ICC or strengthen its economic ties with Russia, which is its primary source of oil and gas, while also being on the route of a planned gas pipeline connecting its top trading partners Russia and China.

Russia, heavily sanctioned by the West for its ongoing war against Ukraine, has been seeking to weaken global and Western-based institutions through various means, including its recent trip to Mongolia.

According to Elena Davlikanova, a Democracy fellow with the Center for European Policy Analysis, Mongolia's decision not to fulfill its obligations with the ICC is a clear indication of Western powerlessness in the face of Kremlin realpolitik.

Putin will be pleased with this outcome, as he disregards rules-based politics. Russia's strategy is to achieve victory at any cost, without regard for the consequences. In contrast, the West and the institutions it has established lack the same level of focus and determination.

CNBC has contacted both the Kremlin and Mongolian government for further comment.

On Tuesday, a Mongolian government spokesperson informed Politico that the country's reliance on Russia for energy poses a challenge in its relationship with Moscow.

The spokesperson stated that Mongolia relies heavily on imports for its petroleum products and electricity, with over 95% of petroleum products and 20% of electricity coming from neighboring countries. These supplies are crucial for the country's survival and that of its people, as they have experienced interruptions in the past due to technical issues.