President Donald Trump is withdrawing the U.S. from an international legal initiative targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking a major departure from Biden-era foreign policy. The move reflects Trump’s commitment to shifting away from legal confrontations and toward diplomatic negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine.

The U.S. will no longer participate in the International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine (ICPA), according to a letter from Eurojust, the European Union agency overseeing the group. The Biden administration had joined the effort in 2023, framing it as a necessary step in holding Russian leaders accountable for the war.

Michael Schmid, president of Eurojust, confirmed the U.S. withdrawal, warning that the group’s effectiveness would be significantly reduced without American backing. However, European prosecutors insist they will continue their legal efforts despite losing Washington’s support.

Additionally, the Trump administration is scaling back operations at the Justice Department’s War Crimes Accountability Team (WarCAT), which was launched under Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022. WarCAT had been providing assistance to Ukraine’s legal system, helping local prosecutors build cases against Russian officials.

The White House has not issued a formal statement detailing the rationale for the withdrawal, but insiders suggest the move is part of Trump’s broader foreign policy strategy. Rather than pursuing legal action against foreign leaders, the administration aims to prioritize diplomatic efforts that could lead to a negotiated settlement in Ukraine.

The decision has drawn criticism from European officials and left-wing politicians who had hoped to use the ICPA to put pressure on Moscow. However, Trump remains firm in his position that the U.S. should focus on peace efforts rather than continuing a campaign of legal maneuvers that could prolong tensions.

As the U.S. shifts its approach, international observers will be watching closely to see how this change affects broader geopolitical dynamics and ongoing efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict.