Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada's support for the International Criminal Court (ICC) will not change, despite Washington's pressure on its allies to withdraw from the court and cut funding.
Speaking at a press conference in Toronto, Carney said, "Canada is a proud member of the International Criminal Court. We support it with funding, personnel, our values, and our actions, and we will continue to do so."
Noting that the ICC is playing an increasingly important role at a time of growing global instability, Carney said, "It provides a fundamental service in a more dangerous, more divided world. In fact, in many ways its responsibilities are greater than ever."
Asked about Canadian ICC judge Kimberly Prost, who has been subjected to US sanctions, Carney said Ottawa would "provide support when needed" and added that they would work with US officials on various issues. "However, our support for the ICC is firm," Carney stated.
The administration of former US President Donald Trump repeatedly criticized the ICC, especially after the court issued arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as part of allegations related to the Gaza war.
The US is not a party to the Rome Statute that established the ICC. Last month, it became the latest country to formally begin the process of withdrawing from the court, following Chad, Venezuela, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
Former ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, who issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, was recently dismissed due to allegations of misconduct.
In August 2025, the US imposed sanctions on Canadian ICC judge Kimberly Prost as part of a case related to the activities of American soldiers in Afghanistan. Prost was one of four ICC officials targeted by the sanctions.
