Belgium's Foreign Affairs Minister has expressed regret about US President Donald Trump's decision to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Trump signed an executive order on sanctioning the ICC on Thursday. According to American media, the measures target the personal finances and visas of individuals associated with the ICC's ongoing investigations.
Reacting to the sanctions, Federal Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés) to express Belgium's "deep regret".
"The ICC is a central pillar of the world order and plays a determining role in the fight against impunity," he said. "Belgium has supported the ICC since its establishment and attaches great importance to respecting its independence and impartiality. Belgium remains committed to protecting the ICC and limiting the impact of these sanctions."
Belgium deeply regrets the issuance of the US Executive Order seeking to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court. The ICC is a central pillar of the world order and plays a determining role in the fight against impunity. Belgium has supported the ICC since its…
— Maxime PREVOT (@prevotmaxime) February 7, 2025
The ICC is based in The Hague, Netherlands and recently issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and a Mohammed Deif, a military leader of Hamas.
The judges found "reasonable grounds" to suspect the three men of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Hamas attack on 7 October and the ensuing Israeli war in Gaza.
Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the decision as antisemitic, while former US President Joe Biden called the arrest warrants against the Israelis "outrageous".
The ICC has also issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, prompting Moscow to issue its own warrants for senior ICC officials.
The United States, Israel, and Russia are not members of the ICC, which is a permanent court established to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
Founded in 2002, the ICC currently has 124 member states and has issued only a few convictions since its inception.
