U.S. demands assistance from NATO partners to dismantle the ICC

U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker, at a closed-door meeting with alliance ambassadors in July, demanded that allies withdraw from the Rome Statute, thereby renouncing their participation in the International Criminal Court (ICC).

As Politico reported, citing diplomats, the United States is trying to enlist allies in a campaign for the "systematic collapse" of the court.

The publication's sources claim that at the end of his speech Whitaker stated that the United States "will be closely watching which countries provided support." In addition, the U.S. mission sent other delegations a letter calling on them to "analyze the threat emanating from the court." U.S. allies must publicly condemn the ICC for exceeding its authority and end their financial support, the letter says.

According to Politico, the Netherlands and France came out in defense of the ICC. The situation around the court is complicating the already difficult relations between the United States and Europe, the publication notes.

On August 18, the press service of the U.S. State Department circulated a statement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio announcing the imposition of sanctions against ICC President Tomoko Akane and the court's senior prosecutor Abdoulaye Seye. The current U.S. administration has already imposed sanctions on the court several times. The American government accused the ICC of improper actions against Washington and its allies, such as Israel. The executive order allows financial and visa restrictions to be applied against ICC staff involved in investigations concerning citizens of the United States or of its allies, as well as members of their families.

Source: TASS