US sanctions against officials of the International Criminal Court
The USA has imposed sanctions against two officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC) — President of the Court Tomoko Akane from Japan and Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seck from Senegal. The US State Department announced these restrictions on August 18, 2026, as part of the Donald Trump administration's campaign. The sanctions were introduced in accordance with Executive Order No. 14203, which provides for measures in response to the actions of the ICC that Washington considers politicized and exceeding the court's mandate.
According to statements from the State Department, Akane and Seck were directly involved in the ICC's work regarding the investigation, arrest, detention, or prosecution of representatives of states that do not recognize the court's jurisdiction. Washington accused the ICC of trying to extend its jurisdiction over US citizens and other states that have not ratified the Rome Statute. The State Department emphasized that
“The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a corrupt and fatally politicized supranational court that has willfully abused its powers and exceeded its mandate. We will not tolerate its attack on the sovereignty of the state”.
US expectations and Ukraine's participation in the ICC
The USA also expects that other countries will join in pressuring the ICC, in particular by halting funding and participating in its work. Senator Marco Rubio did not rule out the possibility of introducing new measures against the ICC if necessary.
It is worth noting that Ukraine became the 125th state-party to the ICC on January 1, 2025, and in October 2024, Ukrainian representatives in New York deposited the ratification instrument of the Rome Statute of the ICC. The ICC has also issued several arrest warrants for Russian officials, including:
- March 17, 2023 — warrants for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova
- March 5, 2024 — warrants for the arrest of the Commander of Long-Range Aviation Sergey Kobylash and the Commander of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation Viktor Sokolov
The warrants for Kobylash and Sokolov concerned the period from October 10, 2022, to March 9, 2023.
The State Department also emphasized the Trump administration's readiness to take additional measures if necessary to systematically dismantle the ICC until it is unable to pose a threat to American sovereignty.
US sanctions against ICC officials underscore the growing tension between Washington and international judicial bodies, particularly concerning their jurisdiction over citizens of states that do not recognize their authority. This step may affect the future activities of the ICC and hinder its efforts regarding investigations related to international crimes, particularly in cases involving Ukraine and Russia. At the same time, Ukraine's support as an ICC participant may indicate its commitment to international legal stability and accountability for war crimes.
As the USA intensifies its stance against international judicial bodies, it is important to consider how these actions align with broader geopolitical strategies. Recently, the US Senate backed enhanced sanctions against Russia and Iran, indicating a clear trend of leveraging economic pressure to influence foreign policy. This context may shed light on the motivations behind the current sanctions against ICC officials.