Estonia condemns US sanctions on International Criminal Court
Estonia's Foreign Ministry has condemned the new US sanctions on the International Criminal Court in The Hague and offered to discuss Washington's concerns. Several European countries, Canada and Japan joined the criticism, while Israel's prime minister backed the move.
Estonia's Foreign Ministry on Saturday publicly condemned the sweeping US sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), the permanent tribunal that tries war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. In a social media statement, the ministry said it regretted Washington's decision and described the ICC as a cornerstone of the rules-based international order and an important safeguard against impunity. Estonia also said it was ready to talk with the United States to address its concerns.
What happened
The Trump administration announced the measures on Friday, targeting the institution itself rather than individual judges or officials. Sanctions had previously been imposed on 17 ICC personnel, including prosecutors and judges. The US says the court threatens American sovereignty, while the ICC has called the measures an assault on the rule of law. A six-month grace period allows member states to keep funding the court's operations in the meantime.
Reaction abroad
The foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement warning that the sanctions would significantly affect the court's work, its staff and their families. Spain's Foreign Ministry also condemned the move. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said that, on Belgium's initiative, support for the ICC will be discussed by EU foreign ministers on Monday and at the upcoming European Council; Belgium is calling for the EU Blocking Statute to be activated. German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig called the decision "utterly staggering". The European Commission, the UN and several human rights groups also voiced support for the court.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is himself wanted by the ICC, backed the actions of US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying the ICC is a political body rather than a court.
The ICC was founded in 2002. In March 2023 it issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over war crimes.
