The International Criminal Justice Initiative (ICJI) is pleased to announce that the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026(This link opens in a new tab) (NDAA) included language authorizing the Department of State to continue funding for the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group for Ukraine(This link opens in a new tab) (ACA). Georgetown Law’s ICJI serves as the Lead Implementing Entity for ACA, a consortium of five organizations supporting Ukraine’s efforts to ensure justice and accountability for atrocity crimes committed in the context of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The relevant language can be found on page 2848, line 7 of the NDAA and is reprinted below:

“(f) Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group for Ukraine.–The Department of
State is authorized to support the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group for
Ukraine by providing technical assistance, capacity building, and
advisory support to the Government of Ukraine’s Office of the
Prosecutor General, and other relevant components of the Government of
Ukraine, for the purpose of investigating and prosecuting cases
involving abducted children, and other atrocity crimes.”

“ICJI is grateful for this acknowledgement, in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, for ACA’s work in Ukraine,” said Amb. (Ret.) Clint Williamson, Lead Coordinator of ACA and Senior Director for International Justice at Georgetown University Law Center. “We appreciate the strong bipartisan support from the US Congress that it represents for continuing this work.”

ICJI’s groundbreaking work in Ukraine is positioning Georgetown to serve as a global leader in the field of international criminal justice and a platform for future responses to mass atrocity scenarios or other major human rights crises as they inevitably arise beyond Ukraine.

ACA is a joint initiative established by the European Union, United Kingdom, and United States in partnership with the Government of Ukraine. In addition to ICJI, the ACA Implementing Entities include the European Union Advisory Mission in Ukraine, Global Rights Compliance, Pravo-Justice and International Development Law Organization.