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After years of delays and military challenges, Ukraine is set to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) following a decisive vote in parliament. On Wednesday, 281 lawmakers ratified the Rome Statute, the foundational treaty of the ICC, marking a significant shift in Ukraine’s approach to international justice. This landmark decision not only aims to hold Russia accountable for its actions in Ukraine but also reinforces Ukraine's commitment to European integration amidst ongoing conflict. As discussions surrounding the ratification unfolded, lawmakers expressed both hope for justice and concerns about potential repercussions during the ongoing martial law.
After years of procrastination and military opposition, Ukraine will finally join the International Criminal Court (ICC) after its parliament approved the motion on Wednesday.
In all, 281 parliamentarians ratified the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the ICC, several lawmakers announced on social media.
The decision will open “greater possibilities to punish Russia and will strengthen Russia’s isolation,” lawmaker Yevgenya Kravchuk wrote in a Facebook post.
According to Kravchuk, Ukraine invoked Article 124 of the Rome Statute, which allows for a seven-year exemption of any Ukrainian, civilian or military, from prosecution by the ICC for war crimes.
The ratification of this document, sent to parliament this month by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is part of Kyiv’s commitment to the European Union and is seen as a necessary precursor to accession.
“It is a necessary, fully justified and safe measure,” Kravchuk said.
An opposition MP, Irina Gheraschenko, who did not support the document like the rest of her European Solidarity Party, announced that “difficult negotiations” had taken place in parliament before the vote.
“The military asked for the ratification to be postponed until the end of martial law,” she announced on Telegram. “No one has explained what will happen after,” Gheraschenko stressed.
Ukraine has been ravaged since 2014 by a war that Russia first launched in the Donbas after annexing the Crimean Peninsula, and then invaded its neighbor on a larger scale in February 2022.