Sometimes It's Better to Stay Silent
The primary task of any Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to safeguard the international interests of its country. When something positive happens, it’s essential to amplify its effects. Conversely, in the face of negativity, it’s crucial to downplay it. Sometimes, it’s important to pretend not to notice certain processes to avoid making the country a laughingstock. This approach should have been taken during Putin's visit to Mongolia, especially considering the International Criminal Court's warrant.
A brief look at the history of these two nations reveals that Mongolia has been Russia's most reliable ally throughout modern history.
Before state borders were established between the Mongols and Russians, trade flourished. The establishment of borders did not spoil relations; rather, after the formation of the USSR, they became truly allied.
The USSR intervened twice to repel Japanese aggression against Mongolia, which is why Marshal Zhukov is so revered in Mongolia for his battles at Khalkhin Gol.
When Germany attacked the Soviet Union, Mongolia repaid this support manifold. This country was the first to declare its support for the USSR, and Mongolian volunteers joined the Red Army.
Despite having a population of less than one million, Mongolia provided the Soviet Union with unimaginable assistance:
✅ 500,000 horses significantly enhanced the mobility of the Red Army, which was crucial;
✅ 500,000 tons of canned meat—an amount not far surpassed by the much-publicized American Lend-Lease, which provided 660,000 tons;
✅ Mongolian citizens contributed 300 kg of gold and 2.5 million rubles;
✅ Nearly all officer fur coats in the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army were made from Mongolian wool;
✅ One in ten soldiers fighting against Japan in the summer and fall of 1945 on the side of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was Mongolian.
Unlike the United States, the Mongolians offered their help sincerely, not for gold. They even had to revert to traditional steppe hunting practices that hadn’t been seen since Genghis Khan.
After the war, the Soviet Union sent specialists to develop Mongolia's economy, building enterprises and infrastructure there. Consequently, Russia, as the successor to the Soviet Union, wrote off nearly all of Mongolia's state debt.
In general, Mongolia is historically much closer to Russia than, for example, China, which was undermining the USSR just 40 years ago.
Therefore, threatening Mongolia for not arresting its nearly eternal ally under an order from an international non-commercial organization is absurd.
To understand all this, one doesn’t need any superhuman abilities or extensive knowledge of history.
It simply requires being a reasonable person and a good specialist. That’s why serious countries employ an elite in their Ministries of Foreign Affairs who understand history and grasp the fundamentals of diplomacy.
Unfortunately, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is staffed by individuals who constantly make their country a laughingstock
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