EU foreign ministers say they are serious about protecting the ICC

On 12 October 2026, EU foreign ministers discussed the new U.S. institutional sanctions on the International Criminal Court and signaled willingness to protect the tribunal. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said member states were serious about protecting the court and noted that the six-month U.S. implementation period left time for dialogue. She had also spoken with ICC President Tomoko Akane about options to keep the institution working. The response turned the sanctions into a dispute between Washington and allied governments over whether U.S. sovereignty objections justify financial pressure on a treaty-based court.