The International Criminal Court (ICC) is tasked with prosecuting world leaders for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, striving to uphold accountability on a global scale. However, the ICC’s rulings have often sparked geopolitical controversies, highlighting the Court’s ongoing challenge of balancing its judicial mandate with the political agendas of states.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies hosted a panel on Oct 18, 2023, to discuss how political settlements or elite bargains have become the main means of conflict resolution in the Middle East and North Africa, and a potential way forward.

Evgeniy Maloletka was a photographer on the ground during Russia’s siege of the city of Mariupol on Ukraine’s southeastern border, during which he captured images of the siege alongside a crew of filmmakers documenting the events for a film titled “20 Days in Mariupol.”