Ukraine's foreign minister on ratification of Rome Statute: Ukraine took another significant step toward joining EU

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba believes that Ukraine has taken an essential step towards European Union membership by ratifying the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

"Ukraine has become the 125th member of the International Criminal Court. This has been a long journey full of challenges, myths, and fears. None of them have been true. And today, we are finally there...

By taking this step, Ukraine demonstrates its unwavering commitment to strengthening international justice," Kuleba said on X (Twitter).

Kuleba also stressed that Ukraine had been effectively cooperating with the International Criminal Court to ensure comprehensive accountability for Russian atrocities committed during the Russian aggression.

"This work will now be even more effective. With the ratification of the Rome Statute, Ukraine also took another significant step toward joining the EU," the foreign minister concluded.

The obligation to ratify the Rome Statute is outlined in the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. Ratification of the statute is also a requirement for all EU member states.

On 21 August, the Ukrainian parliament supported the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Ukraine signed the Rome Statute in 2000 but has not ratified it since then, even though a decision of the National Security and Defence Council in 2015 recognised the need for ratification. One reason given was the fear that the ICC could prosecute Ukrainian citizens.