EU confirms US withdrawal from group investigating Russia's war crimes in Ukraine

The United States has officially informed Eurojust of its decision to withdraw from the international group established to investigate the actions of state leaders responsible for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

As reported by Sky News, Eurojust has confirmed that the United States has officially notified them of the cessation of its participation in the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA).

"The ICPA hosted by Eurojust continues its work in support of the national investigations into the crime of aggression related to the war in Ukraine," Eurojust added.

The news of the US withdrawal from this multinational group was first reported on Monday by The New York Times.

The International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine was established to hold the leadership of Russia, as well as its allies in Belarus, North Korea and Iran, accountable for crimes defined by international law and treaties as aggression that violates another country’s sovereignty and is not initiated in self-defence.

The administration of former US President Joe Biden joined the ICPA in 2023, with the US being the only country outside Europe to collaborate with the group.

The ICPA started operating in The Hague in July 2023, and as stated by the EU, it was expected to play a crucial role in investigating Russia’s crime of aggression against Ukraine and assist in forming cases for future trials.