The EU gave its backing on Friday to the International Criminal Court after Washington imposed sanctions on four ICC judges, and EU member Slovenia said it would push Brussels to use its power to ensure the U.S. sanctions could not be enforced in Europe.
"The ICC holds perpetrators of the world’s gravest crimes to account and gives victims a voice. It must be free to act without pressure," European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said on social media platform X.
Antonio Costa, president of the European Council, which represents national governments of the 27 member states, called the court "a cornerstone of international justice" and said its independence and integrity must be protected. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on four judges at the ICC in retaliation for the war tribunal's issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a past decision to open a case into alleged war crimes by U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.