US Attorney General Merrick Garland paid an unexpected visit to the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday and held a meeting with the court’s top prosecutor, signaling a shift in Washington’s approach to the permanent war crimes tribunal.
The United States is not a member of the ICC, a position shared by major powers such as China and Russia. During the Trump administration, the US imposed sanctions on ICC officials. However, under President Joe Biden, those sanctions were lifted, and the US has shown support for the ICC’s investigations into war crimes in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
The ICC confirmed the meeting between Garland and top prosecutor Karim Khan through a tweet, but no further details about the discussions were provided. The visit was kept undisclosed beforehand, and no information was shared with the media.
Garland’s meeting with key officials of the court indicates an improved relationship between the United States and the ICC. In March, the ICC issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of the war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine. President Biden has expressed his support for the ICC’s decision regarding Putin.
Moscow has consistently denied allegations of committing atrocities, dismissing the ICC’s warrant against Putin as “null and void.”
While warmer ties with the ICC have been embraced by some in the current US administration, there are dissenting voices. Last month, US lawmakers accused the Pentagon of undermining the prosecution of Russian officials for war crimes by obstructing the sharing of US military intelligence, although the State and Justice departments were reportedly cooperating with the court.
