Trump's sanctions against ICC threaten search for justice in Ukraine, EU warns

Donald Trump's decision to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) risks endangering the search for justice in Ukraine, the European Commission was warned, expressing full support for the tribunal's independence and impartiality.

Since March 2022, the ICC has been investigating allegations of war crimes in Ukraine and issued arrest warrants against six high-ranking officials of the Kremlin, including President Vladimir Putin, who stands accused of ordering the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia.

Placing ICC officials under sanctions could hinder these probes by making it more difficult for them to travel worldwide and access the necessary funds.

"The ICC guarantees accountability for international crimes and gives a voice to victims worldwide. It must be able to freely pursue the fight against global impunity," said Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission.

A Commission spokesperson expressed "regret" over Trump's executive order, saying it "represents a serious challenge to the work of the ICC with the risks of affecting ongoing investigations and proceedings, including as regards Ukraine, impacting years of efforts to ensure accountability around the world."

The Commission will monitor the "implications" of Trump's decision and "assess possible further steps", the spokesperson added, without providing further details.

António Costa, the president of the European Council, voiced a similar message of condemnation: "Sanctioning the ICC threatens the Court's independence and undermines the international criminal justice system as a whole," he said on Friday.

The previous day, Costa had met Judge Tomoko Akane, the ICC's current president, in Brussels and praised the