Ukrainian Parliament Ratifies Rome Statute, Paving the Way for Full Membership in the International Criminal Court
On Wednesday, Ukraine’s parliament ratified the Rome Statute, which facilitates the country’s full membership in the International Criminal Court (ICC). This decision has been celebrated by politicians as a significant step towards being able to “prosecute” suspected Russian war criminals. According to lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak, who shared the information on Telegram, 281 out of 450 members voted in favor of the proposal, with only one vote against.
The ICC has the authority to prosecute serious crimes such as genocide and crimes against humanity and can issue arrest warrants that the 124 member countries are obliged to enforce. Last year, the court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, the commissioner for children’s rights in Russia, in connection with the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia and Russian-occupied territories. In June, arrest warrants were also issued against former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and General Valery Gerasimov, who were accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba argued on social media platform X that “Ukraine has already worked effectively with the ICC to ensure accountability for all Russian atrocities committed during the Russian aggression,” adding that this work will now be “even more effective.”
Membership in the ICC is also a step toward Ukraine’s ambition to join the European Union (EU). All EU countries are signatories to the Rome Statute, and the bloc is one of the court’s strongest supporters. Ukraine signed the Rome Statute in 2000 but had not ratified it due to concerns that Ukrainian soldiers could face prosecution.
In June, senior presidential advisor Iryna Mudra described attempts to delay the ratification process as a “disinformation campaign,” falsely suggesting that Ukrainian troops would be more vulnerable to prosecution. She characterized Kyiv’s pursuit of ICC membership as “a long journey full of challenges, myths, and fears. None of them have proven to be true.”
Zhelezniak noted that lawmakers were presented with letters of support from Ukraine’s General Staff and the head of Kyiv’s military intelligence agency before the vote. Controversially, the ratification included a reference to Article 124 of the Rome Statute, which will exempt Ukrainians from prosecution for war crimes for seven years. Politician Yevheniia Kravchuk stated on Facebook: “The ratification of the Rome Statute will simultaneously facilitate efforts to hold Russians accountable and increase the isolation of Russia.”