80 years after Nuremberg, US leads the assault on the ICC — and global accountability

What happened

The ICC announced the termination of its agreement with Axa "by mutual consent." The court is moving to a new, unnamed health insurance provider. In a statement, Axa acknowledged that the risks "arise from the extraterritorial application of US sanctions" and that such situations "reflect an increasingly tense and complex international environment for business."

This is not just an insurance dispute. It is a symptom.

The broader context

In February 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing financial and visa sanctions on individuals who assist ICC investigations involving US citizens or allies. The sanctions target judges, prosecutors, and even their family members.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the goal bluntly: "We will use every tool at our government's disposal to dismantle the ICC, brick by brick, if necessary."

By August 2026, ICC President Tomoko Akane and Judge Abdoulaye Sèye had been added to the sanctions list. According to NPR, Canadian judge Kimberly Prost has had her bank accounts frozen and faces restricted access to financial services. She continues to hear cases, but daily life has become a struggle.

Why this matters for Ukraine and the world

The ICC is the only permanent court capable of prosecuting genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. It issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin. It is investigating Russian atrocities in Ukraine.

If the US succeeds in crippling the ICC, Russia gains a free pass. No international court will be able to hold the Kremlin accountable for the massacres in Bucha, Mariupol, and beyond.

The legal challenge

In July 2026, two US rights groups — Democracy in the Arab World Now (Dawn) and the Taxpayer Alliance Against Genocide (Taag) — filed a lawsuit in federal court in New York, arguing that the sanctions violate the First Amendment. In August, four more organizations, including Human Rights Watch, filed a separate suit.

Omar Shakir of Dawn said: "The sanctions are being used to police the political speech of millions of Americans, forcing groups to avoid coordination with the ICC for fear of fines and prosecution."

What comes next

The Trump administration is reportedly preparing even broader sanctions that could completely paralyze the court. Axa is likely the first of many companies that will sever ties with the ICC to avoid secondary sanctions.

Eighty years after the United States championed the Nuremberg Trials, it is now leading the assault on international law. The question for Kyiv — and for every government that claims to support accountability — is whether they will speak up before the last pillar of global justice collapses.