Ukraine will become a member of the International Criminal Court no earlier than in 2025

Ukraine will officially become a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) no earlier than in 2025. Because of this, she will not be able to fully participate in the work of the ICC Assembly, which will be held this December.

This was stated by the ICC spokesman Fadi el-Abdalla at a meeting with Ukrainian journalists, Babel correspondent from The Hague reports.

"The state must submit a letter of ratification or a document of accession [to ICC], that is, its approval, to the UN Secretary General. And then 60 days from that date, the state officially becomes a participant [in ICC]. Ukraine has not done this yet," noted Fadi el-Abdalla.

Ukraine will be able to submit a letter of ratification or a document on joining ICC after the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk signs the draft law on bringing the Criminal Code of Ukraine in line with the norms of the Rome Statute of ICC — he must do so two days after the approval of the law in the Verkhovna Rada. Then the President of Ukraine will have 15 days to sign it.

When the document reaches the UN depository, the 60-day countdown will begin — after which Ukraine will become a member of ICC.

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