The Verkhovna Rada has ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Ednews informs via Interfax-Ukraine.

Some 281 MPs voted in favor of the relevant bill No. 0285 on ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and amendments to it at the plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada on Wednesday, member of the European Solidarity faction Oleksiy Goncharenko announced on Telegram.

Ukraine has ratified the Rome Statute with statements on the procedure for relations with the ICC and, for seven years after the entry into force of the Rome Statute, "it does not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court against its citizens for crimes provided for in Article 8 of the Rome Statute" (war crimes).

The bill confirms Ukraine's recognition of the ICC's jurisdiction over crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes since November 21, 2013 and declares recognition of the ICC's jurisdiction over the crime of aggression since July 17, 2018 (the date of entry into force of the amendments adopted by the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute in Kampala regarding the crime of aggression).

As stated in the explanatory note to the draft law, the ratification of the Rome Statute will allow Ukraine to acquire full membership in the International Criminal Court.

After the entry into force of the Rome Statute, Ukraine will participate in the work of the Assembly of States -Parties to the Rome Statute, and will be able to submit candidates for the election of judges and prosecutors of the ICC. Membership in the Rome Statute will help prevent and deter the commission of particularly serious crimes in the future. Ukraine will be able to cooperate effectively with the ICC, which will help ensure the punishment of those responsible for particularly serious crimes of concern to the entire international community.