European Governments Reconsider Reliance on US Technology Following ICC Sanctions

European governments are reconsidering their dependence on American technology following President Donald Trump's sanctions on Karim Khan, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), related to arrest warrants for Israeli officials. Microsoft's deactivation of Khan's email account in compliance with these sanctions has been described by Casper Klynge, a former diplomat and Microsoft employee, as the "smoking gun" that triggered European fears about the influence of US government actions on American tech companies. In response, some ICC personnel have switched to alternative services like the Swiss email provider Proton to maintain operational independence. Microsoft has updated its policies to better protect customers in similar situations and emphasized it did not deactivate accounts of other ICC judges who were also sanctioned. Furthermore, CEO Satya Nadella recently announced new "sovereign solutions" designed to shield European institutions from such disruptions in the future. This situation has intensified European efforts to explore alternatives to US-based technology and services to safeguard their digital sovereignty.