U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Feb. 6.
The sanctions could involve banning ICC officials and their families from entering the U.S. as well as freezing assets.
Trump’s order claimed that the ICC’s “illegitimate actions set a dangerous precedent” and that this endangers U.S. citizens and military personnel.
The order also said that the ICC has overstepped its jurisdiction and “abused its power” in targeting U.S. and allied officials.
There are 125 member states of the ICC, which is based in The Hague in The Netherlands.
Ukraine became the 125th state party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Jan. 1.
In March 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova for the forced deportations of at least tens of thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia and Russian-occupied territories.
The ICC also issued arrest warrants for Sergei Shoigu, secretary of Russia's Security Council who formerly served as defense minister, and Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff of the Russian army, for war crimes against Ukraine.
Russia withdrew from the ICC in 2016 following its criticism of Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea.
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