The European Union regrets the US executive order imposing sanctions against officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The EU Foreign Policy Spokesperson Anouar El Anouni stated this in a comment to Babel.
According to him, the decree of the US President Donald Trumpʼs administration could create serious obstacles in the work of ICC — it would threaten investigations and trials, including those related to Ukraine. It could also undermine years of efforts to ensure accountability for crimes around the world.
"This court plays a key role in upholding international justice and fighting impunity. The EU supports the International Criminal Court and the principles enshrined in the Rome Statute," stressed Anouar El Anouni.
The European Union will monitor the consequences of the sanctions and consider its further actions.
The United States has imposed sanctions on the ICC officials involved in investigations against Americans and Israelis. Trump criticized the court for issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and several Hamas leaders at the same time. He also criticized the court for “putting former and current American service members at risk” by “subjecting them to harassment, ill-treatment, and possible arrest”. Washington does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction, so it is not obligated to execute its arrest warrants.
- The International Criminal Court has responded to the US sanctions against its staff, saying they will hinder its independent and impartial work. At the same time, the court "firmly supports its staff".
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.