Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Mongolia on Monday, September 2, for a state visit.
This visit is crucial because Mongolia is a key route for a planned new gas pipeline connecting Russia and China.
As per Reuters, Putin is scheduled to meet with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh on Tuesday.
The pipeline, called Power of Siberia 2, is set to transport 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Russia's Yamal region to China via Mongolia.
This project aims to replace the lost gas sales in Europe due to the Ukraine conflict.
It is planned to follow an existing pipeline of the same name, which will reach its full capacity of 38 bcm per year by 2025.
Moreover, the new pipeline project has faced delays over issues like gas pricing, but Putin mentioned before his visit that the preparatory work, including feasibility and engineering studies, is progressing as expected.
Recently, Ukraine has called on Mongolia to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit based on International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant issued last year.
In response, the Kremlin has dismissed these accusations as politically motivated and said it has no concerns about the visit.
