Ukrainian parliament votes in favour of joining ICC

KYIV:

Ukraine's parliament has taken a significant step by voting to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) as the country seeks to hold Russia accountable for alleged war crimes during its ongoing invasion.

The ICC, established to prosecute severe offenses such as genocide and crimes against humanity, has the authority to issue arrest warrants that must be enforced by its 124 member states. While Ukraine signed the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, back in 2000, it had not ratified it due to concerns among some political and military figures that Ukrainian soldiers could face prosecution.

Following the vote, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, hailed the decision as "historic." In a post on X, he remarked, "This has been a long journey full of challenges, myths, and fears. None of them have been true. And today, we are finally there."

The ratification of the Rome Statute was not without controversy, however. It includes a reference to Article 124, which exempts Ukrainian citizens from prosecution for war crimes for a period of seven years. Yevgeniya Kravchuk, a lawmaker from the ruling party, explained on Facebook that this provision is intended to protect Ukrainian soldiers while still facilitating the punishment of Russian perpetrators and increasing Russia's international isolation.

Last year, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's children's ombudsman, over the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia and Russian-controlled territories. The decision to ratify the Rome Statute has also been influenced by long-standing pressure from human rights groups and the European Union, which Ukraine aspires to join.