Greece and Cyprus have joined a coalition of 77 other countries in condemning US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to eKathimerini.com.
In their joint statement, the nearly 80 countries emphasized their “continued and unwavering support for the independence, impartiality, and integrity of the ICC,” recognizing the court as a key component of the international justice system, which ensures accountability for severe international crimes and justice for their victims.
The group of 79 signatories, drawn from across the globe, represents approximately two-thirds of the 125 member states of the ICC, which is dedicated to prosecuting war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and crimes of aggression. The statement was endorsed by countries such as France, Germany, and the UK. However, countries like Australia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Italy did not sign.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban expressed his support for Trump’s action, which coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington; Netanyahu is under ICC investigation concerning the conflict in Gaza. Orban commented on X that “new winds are blowing in international politics,” referring to it as the “Trump-tornado.”
The Czech and Italian governments did not immediately provide reasons for their absence from the declaration.
The Netherlands, the ICC’s host nation, expressed regret about the sanctions and committed to continuing its support for the ICC’s initiatives. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof mentioned that the full impact of the sanctions was not yet clear, but they could significantly hinder the court’s functions. He affirmed efforts to ensure the court’s mission continues.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, alongside other EU leaders, criticized Trump’s decision, arguing that “sanctions are the wrong tool” and emphasizing the importance of the ICC in preventing despot-led atrocities and wars.
The ICC condemned the sanctions, reaffirming its support for its personnel and its mission to deliver justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of global atrocities.
The US sanctions involve freezing US assets of the targeted individuals and banning them and their families from entering the United States. The timeline for announcing specific sanctions remains undetermined.
In the first Trump administration in 2020, sanctions were imposed on then-prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and a top aide over their investigation into alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan.
Neither the United States, China, Russia, nor Israel are ICC members. Trump signed the executive order following a failure by Senate Democrats to block a Republican-led push for sanctions legislation against the ICC.
To mitigate potential impacts of US financial restrictions, the ICC has preemptively paid its staff’s salaries three months in advance.
In December, ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane warned that the sanctions could swiftly disrupt court operations in various situations and risk its very existence.
Amid rising tensions with the court, Russia, too, has responded robustly. In 2023, following the ICC’s issuance of an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning war crimes in Ukraine, Russia banned ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan and listed him and two ICC judges on its wanted list.