Allies turn against US pressure on the International Criminal Court
Eight countries pledge to continue supporting the International Criminal Court despite new US sanctions.
Follow-up to: US imposes new sanctions on ICC Friday, 9 October 2026, 16:45
Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have jointly spoken out against US sanctions on the International Criminal Court. Washington is seeking to persuade allies to distance themselves from the court, but for now is facing public opposition instead.
The eight countries say in a joint statement that they will continue to support the independence and integrity of the International Criminal Court. They call the US sanctions regrettable and say they could affect the court’s work, its staff and their families.
The statement follows the Trump administration’s decision to extend sanctions against the ICC to the institution itself. According to the US government, the court poses a threat to US sovereignty and is wrongly targeting US citizens and allies.
The measures could make transactions with the court through US financial institutions and technology companies more difficult. US individuals and companies that manage the court’s assets or interests could also face blockages, subject to exceptions and licences.
US pressure on allies is not new. Washington has previously mentioned options such as travel restrictions, additional sanctions and diplomatic pressure on countries that are party to the Rome Statute. The new step makes the conflict more concrete, because the measures affect not only individual judges or prosecutors but also the court as an organisation.
The issue is particularly sensitive for the Netherlands: the ICC is based in The Hague. According to Associated Press, the Dutch government has discussed a European blocking instrument with the European Commission. Such an instrument could prohibit European companies from complying with US sanctions, but it has not yet been introduced.
The allies say they want to continue talks with non-member countries in December. In this way, they are seeking to combine support for the court with diplomatic room for manoeuvre towards the United States. It remains uncertain whether European and Japanese companies can in practice remain entirely outside the scope of the US measures.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The United States has announced sanctions against the International Criminal Court.
- Eight countries have reaffirmed their support for the court.
- The ICC is based in The Hague.
- The practical consequences for the organisation are not yet fully clear.
Left
Arguments International justice must be able to act independently, especially when powerful states or leaders are suspected of serious crimes. From this perspective, US sanctions threaten the protection of victims and the international rule of law.
Values Human rights, international responsibility and the equal application of the law.
Consequences Giving in to US pressure could encourage other countries to weaken international institutions.
Centre
Arguments Allies should support the court while keeping diplomatic channels with Washington open. The ICC’s legitimacy and methods may be discussed without disabling the institution financially or politically.
Values The rule of law, alliance cooperation and institutional stability.
Consequences A joint, legally careful response could protect the court without causing a wider rupture with the United States.
Right
Arguments An international court without US participation should not claim jurisdiction over US military personnel and officials. From this perspective, sanctions are a means of defending national sovereignty and democratic oversight.
Values National control, democratic legitimacy and the protection of the country’s own military personnel.
Consequences Support for the ICC could strain the security relationship with the United States and make US cooperation more difficult.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The reporting is based on a joint government statement, AP and Reuters. The legal and financial consequences are phrased cautiously where the sources do not yet describe definitive implementation.
- confirmed Eight countries have jointly spoken out against the US sanctions. — The eight countries are named in the joint statement. source
- confirmed The United States has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court itself. — Reported by AP and described in the US factsheet. source
- confirmed The measures could affect financial services, technology companies and dollar transactions involving the court. — Description of the sanctions by AP. source
- confirmed The Netherlands and the European Commission have discussed a possible blocking instrument. — Reported by AP on the basis of information from the Dutch government. source
Editor's note
The joint statement and the US sanctions have been confirmed by official and independent sources. The practical consequences for European companies and the possible use of an EU blocking instrument remain uncertain.Sources
- Joint Statement on Support for the International Criminal Court — Rijksoverheid
- US hits International Criminal Court with sweeping sanctions — Associated Press
- Trump administration launches effort to isolate International Criminal Court — Reuters via Investing.com
The story so far
- Friday, 9 October 2026, 11:44 Navi Pillay awarded Nobel Peace Prize
- Friday, 9 October 2026, 15:44 Pillay responds to Nobel Prize with a joke
- Friday, 9 October 2026, 16:45 US imposes new sanctions on ICC
- Friday, 9 October 2026, 17:49 EU backs ICC after new US sanctions
- Friday, 9 October 2026, 18:46 Eight countries voice support for International Criminal Court
- Saturday, 10 October 2026, 12:45 Allies turn against US pressure on the International Criminal Court (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- De Telegraaf — „internationaal strafhof”
- AD — „internationaal strafhof”
- de Volkskrant — „internationaal strafhof”