President Catherine Connolly criticises US sanctions on International Criminal Court

Irish President Catherine Connolly has criticised United States sanctions against the International Criminal Court during a speech to European leaders, independent.ie and the Irish Independent reported. She addressed an event outside Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 16 October 2026. The gathering marked the first meeting of the group attended by President Connolly since her election, according to independent.ie. [1][2][4]

President Connolly met with 11 other non-executive European presidents at the Arraiolos Group meeting at the Brdo Estate, RTÉ reported. She told the gathering that human dignity, equality, and human rights must guide how the European Union responds to global crises such as climate change and war. [2]

The criticism follows plans by the United States State Department to levy further sanctions on the International Criminal Court over efforts to charge American military personnel, as FTMQ News reported earlier. The United States is not a signatory to the Rome Statute that created the tribunal. [8]

Catherine Connolly has served as the president of Ireland since November 2025 after previously working as a Teachta Dála for the Galway West constituency. The International Criminal Court is an intergovernmental tribunal seated in The Hague that prosecutes individuals for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and aggression. [5][6]