Luxembourg Foreign Affairs Minister Xavier Bettel has issued a response condemning the US administration's pressure on the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Bettel emphasised the need for unity in defending international law, adding that as a small country, Luxembourg is especially dependent on the respect of these rules:
We must recognise that international law and multilateral institutions are the cornerstone for governing relations between countries. And especially as a small nation, we are more reliant than most on the respect for such rules. The International Criminal Court plays a vital role in prosecuting the gravest crimes committed by individuals, including genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression, when one country attacks another.
Current cases before the ICC include Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in Sudan, Bettel added.
The politician form the Democratic Party (DP) confirmed that Luxembourg stands firmly behind the ICC and regrets any action that undermines international law. He added that EU foreign ministers will discuss the situation together on Monday, expressing hope that the European Union will adopt a strong and unified position.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has long targeted the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. On Friday, Trump announced new sanctions against the institution, including restrictions on financial transactions, cutting off resources, and further limiting the court's ability to operate.
The US government’s announcement came just hours after the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to South African jurist Navi Pillay, who previously served as a judge at the ICC. Reacting to the decision, Trump described the Norwegian Nobel Committee's choice as shameful.
The move also follows criticism from Israel, a close US ally, regarding Pillay’s recognition. Pillay chaired the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel from 2021 to 2025, which last year accused Israel of responsibility for genocide in Gaza.
The Nobel Committee in Oslo honoured Pillay for her decades-long commitment to human rights and her work investigating human rights violations.
Pillay has warned that international law is increasingly coming under threat.
