Because the US does not recognize the ICC and has not cooperated with it until now, American media describe the initiative as "historic".
The ICC is mainly funded by Western powers, especially the EU, and is also not recognized by China and Russia.
Russian President Putin faces an ICC arrest warrant for the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.
The White House has not yet confirmed the decision to cooperate with the ICC. The US Pentagon is reportedly opposed to the decision because it fears it could open the door to possible prosecution of American soldiers for war crimes, for example in Iraq.
The European Union has decided to extend sanctions against about 1,800 Russians who are, according to the West, partly responsible for the war against Ukraine. They are mostly members of the Russian administrative and military elite. Their assets are also frozen.
The EU has also imposed economic sanctions on Russia, which forbid European countries from doing business with entire Russian sectors. These sanctions were extended last week until early 2024.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has observed ‘some anti-personnel mines’ at the site of the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is occupied by Russian troops. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant was seized by the Russian military in March last year.
The explosive devices are located in an area off-limits to the nuclear power plant staff. The IAEA has not disclosed how many mines there are exactly.