Latvia's Baiba Braže attending Rubio-called conference in Washington, D.C.

"During the visit, the Minister will deliver a speech at a conference of foreign ministers organised by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Minister will also hold several meetings with US officials and give interviews to international media outlets," said the release. Neither the subject of Braže's speech, nor indeed the main topic of the conference, were mentioned in the release. However, the conversational topics in Washington may be expected to include an extraordinary attack Rubio launched this week on the International Criminal Court (ICC) which he vowed to "dismantle" in a Washington Post opinion piece, an official Substack post and a related video. The International Criminal Court seeks to become the unaccountable arbiter of a new global law — empowered to prosecute and arrest our citizens at will and existentially threaten American sovereignty. We will teach the ICC the full meaning of American resolve. pic.twitter.com/2egHK1jA98 — Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) July 13, 2026 The ICC, headquartered in The Hague, is best known as the place where war criminals are tried. However, according to Rubio it seeks to "existentially threaten American sovereignty." "We will teach the ICC the full meaning of American resolve," threatened Rubio. Several experts have suggested that America's allies – which include Latvia – will now come under pressure to help Rubio destroy the ICC or face punitive consequences from the Trump administration, based upon unattributed quotes from U.S. officials. "The ICC is backed and run by a powerful network of leftist nongovernment organizations, smug globalists, and hostile Third World governments united by their enmity toward the U.S." said Rubio. He then ramped up his apocalyptic rhetoric even more – albeit at the expense of reconciling the philosophical concepts of free will and destiny – adding: "To accept the ICC is to surrender control of our national destiny... Independence is our birthright. We don’t intend to trade it for rule by a self-appointed priesthood of 'international law.'" Hitherto, Latvia has always been a strong backer of the ICC, particularly in the context of the War in Ukraine, where it is hoped that those perpetrating Russia's numerous war crimes will ultimately face justice in The Hague. During his time in office and subsequently, former Latvian President Egils Levits – hardly anyone's idea of a "leftist" – has been a particularly strong advocate of the ICC and the collection of testimony to be used at future trials of war criminals. He has received official backing for his efforts to establish a special tribunal on Russia's crimes in Ukraine. Braže herself has repeatedly underscored the value of the ICC, telling the United Nations last year "Latvia supports the ICC, the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression and the Compensation Mechanism." In 2024 she backed precisely the sort of powers for the ICC to which Rubio now objects so vehemently. "Latvia reiterates that the 2025 Review Conference of the Kampala Amendments is our opportunity to expand the International Criminal Court’s mandate and send a clear message that the most serious crimes of international concern shall not go unpunished," Braže said in New York. Latvia currently sits on the United Nations Security Council as a temporary member and identified its number one priority as "Protecting the rules-based international order in accordance with the UN Charter, including efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine; continuing to highlight Russia’s crimes, counter the aggressor’s disinformation, and ensure accountability for crimes committed." However, if Braže's "old friend" Rubio succeeds in his aim of dismantling the ICC, Russian war criminals will likely sleep more soundly in their beds. In response to questions from LSM, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: "The International Criminal Court is an important part of the international justice system and plays a key role in investigating Russia's atrocities committed in Ukraine. The court has issued arrest warrants for Putin, Lvova-Belova and other accomplices for crimes against humanity and war crimes." "For countries like Latvia, strong and credible international institutions are fundamental to preserving global security, protecting the rules-based international order and ensuring that those responsible for the gravest international crimes are held accountable." The Ministry also said the main topics under discussion at what it called the "summit" in the U.S. would include combatting terrorist financing, intelligence and data sharing and cybersecurity. LSM has asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to state Minister Braže's current position on the ICC and the subject of her speech, and will add this information when it is received.