Ukraine’s parliament has voted to join the International Criminal Court (ICC), with politicians billing the move as a means of enabling the country to “punish” suspected Russian war criminals.
Parliament voted on August 21 to ratify the Rome Statute, which paves the way for full membership of the ICC, with 281 in favor of the measure, according to lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak.
The ICC prosecutes grave offenses like genocide and crimes against humanity and has the power to issue arrest warrants that its 124 members are obliged to execute.
“Ukraine has already worked effectively with the ICC to ensure comprehensive accountability for all Russian atrocities committed in the course of Russian aggression,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on X. “This work will now be even more effective.”
Full membership of the ICC also advances Ukraine’s aspiration to eventually join the European Union. All EU member states are signatories, and the bloc has been one of the court’s strongest supporters.
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