Lithuania Rebuffs US Push to Isolate ICC

Lithuania is not considering withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the country's ministry of justice confirmed, according to the LRT website. This was in response to a campaign by US President Donald Trump's administration, which is seeking to isolate the institution, strip it of support and urge partners not to recognize the court's jurisdiction over US officials and soldiers.

Washington views the ICC's actions as a threat to its sovereignty, a stance the European Union has strongly condemned.

According to media reports, US officials have indicated that the ICC issue is crucial for countries hosting US troops. The US has expressed particular concern regarding the arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister.

However, the Lithuanian Ministry of Justice noted that it has no information regarding a direct request from the US to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the institution's founding document, and intends to address the resulting reservations through standard instruments of international law.

The ICC is of fundamental importance to Lithuania. The country has previously turned to the court itself in connection with Russian war crimes in Ukraine, which ultimately led to the issuance of an international arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

(max)