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UNIAN, president.gov.ua, wikipedia.org The United States of America tried to enlist its NATO allies in a campaign to "systematically dismantle" the International Criminal Court. Politico writes that this has further strained already tense transatlantic relations.
According to three diplomats, in mid‑July during a closed meeting of 32 NATO ambassadors in Brussels, the US representative Matthew Whitaker asked Alliance countries to help dismantle this international institution and urged them to withdraw from the Rome Statute – the ICC’s founding document.
Whitaker closed his remarks by saying, "We will be watching closely who stands with America."
"The pressure on allies to force them out of the court—driven by US fears that their own officials could face trial for war crimes—is part of the broader Trump administration campaign against international institutions and rules that it believes restrict US freedom of action," the publication writes.
Alongside Whitaker’s comments, the US mission sent NATO delegations a document stating that the United States would systematically destroy the ICC’s capabilities.
"We strongly demand that you take immediate steps to withdraw from the organization," reads the document that Politico has in its possession.
The document also called on allies to "assess the threat" the ICC poses to their countries, to "publicly condemn" the organization for "exceeding its authority," and to immediately cease any material support for the court. Although NATO is not a signatory to the court’s statute, all Alliance countries except Turkey and the United States are parties to the ICC.
According to one NATO diplomat, the US calls to leave the ICC were "quite shocking." A second diplomat added that "it was disappointing."
They also said that in response to Whitaker’s remarks, which were raised as an additional agenda item at the meeting, France and the Netherlands spoke out in defense of the International Criminal Court and expressed their disagreement with the move.
The US delegation to NATO did not respond to the publication’s request for comment. The French delegation declined to comment but emphasized France’s "steadfast support for the ICC." The Dutch delegation referred to a statement by the country’s foreign minister, who said the Netherlands "fully" supports the ICC.
US envoys, it is reported, also raised the issue in bilateral talks with European countries. The US State Department promised to "increase scrutiny of countries that refuse to condemn the false authority of the ICC while relying on American assistance."
"The Court continues to focus on carrying out its mandate impartially, independently and in accordance with the Rome Statute in the interests of victims and the interests of justice. Despite attempts to obstruct its work, the ICC remains steadfast and resilient," a spokesperson for the ICC said.
Tensions within the Alliance
The pressure on the ICC, journalists note, emerged in part against the backdrop of a US initiative called "NATO 3.0." It is aimed at forcing Europe and Canada to take greater responsibility for their own defense by reassessing Washington’s contribution to the Alliance’s capabilities and spending.
A questionnaire sent last month to NATO countries asking for their views on US foreign policy, including in the Middle East, was seen by some as an attempt to force them to align with Washington’s overall line in exchange for America’s protection.
Two NATO diplomats believe Washington was unlikely to try to coerce allies into agreeing with its ICC demand in this way, since the issue was raised as a secondary point in a broader discussion. However, they acknowledged that raising the matter within NATO is "much more sensitive" than in other diplomatic circles, because the United States is the de facto leader of the Alliance.
US sanctions against the ICC president
Recall that in mid‑August the US imposed sanctions on the president of the International Criminal Court, Tomoko Akane, who issued an arrest warrant for the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
At the time US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced this, saying that "Americans will never be taken out of the country for trial for fabricated crimes."
In response, three ICC judges filed a lawsuit against US President Donald Trump and his administration, claiming that the sanctions imposed on them are unlawful.
Document: PDF proof of the republished news item "США тиснуть на союзників по НАТО, щоб ліквідувати Міжнародний кримінальний суд, - Politico" after a recorded deletion or page unavailability. Source: UNIAN.
