The European Union issued a formal statement after the United States announced sanctions against the International Criminal Court as an institution.

The EU said the court must be able to operate independently and argued that its complementarity principle leaves primary responsibility with capable national justice systems. The statement urged the United States to reverse the new measures.

The EU also noted that the United States delayed the measures’ entry into force and expressed readiness to discuss its concerns with parties to the Rome Statute. European officials described that interval as an opportunity for diplomacy rather than a resolution of the disagreement.

The International Criminal Court separately said the sanctions were intended to disrupt its operations. The positions describe an active institutional dispute; the practical effect will depend on implementation, diplomatic talks and any later policy changes.