**Ukraine Joins International Criminal Court**
On January 1, Ukraine became the 125th state party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). This means that Ukraine has officially joined the ICC and will have all the rights and obligations assigned to state parties.
The Ukrainian parliament ratified the Rome Statute in August 2024. The statute is the founding treaty of the ICC, granting it jurisdiction over four crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.
Ukraine ratified the statute with a caveat that it would not recognize the court’s jurisdiction over Ukrainian citizens in the case of war crimes for seven years following its official adoption. This means that Ukraine will have to wait until 2031 before the ICC can investigate war crimes committed by Ukrainian citizens.
**Rights and Obligations**
As a member of the ICC, Ukraine will have all the rights and obligations assigned to state parties. This includes the right to vote when approving the budget, adopting changes and amendments to the Rome Statute, and selecting judges, prosecutors, and their deputies. These decisions will shape the future of international criminal law.
**Ukraine’s Relationship with Russia**
Ukraine has a complicated relationship with Russia. In March 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials for war crimes against Ukraine. Ukraine has also repeatedly warned that it would not extend the gas transit agreement when it expires at the end of 2024 because it did not want to finance Russia’s war.
**Recent Developments**
In recent days, there have been reports of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv and Sumy oblasts. There has also been an increase in casualties among Russian forces. On December 31, at least one person was injured and residential buildings and infrastructure were damaged.
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