“A Digital Resilience Commitment: In the unlikely event we are ever ordered by any government anywhere in the world to suspend or cease cloud operations in Europe, we are committing that Microsoft will promptly and vigorously contest such a measure using all legal avenues available, including by pursuing litigation in court.”
That promise was made by Brad Smith, President and Vice Chair of Microsoft, on April 30, 2025, in a blog post titled “Microsoft announces new European digital commitments.”
Just over two weeks later, on May 15th, 2025, the Associated Press reported:
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor has lost access to his email, and his bank accounts have been frozen.
The context? The U.S. imposed sanctions after ICC judges issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant.
Translation: Microsoft disabled the chief prosecutor’s email—forcing him to switch to Proton Mail. So much for that “unlikely event.” So much for the “vigorous contesting.”
Microsoft acted on a request from the U.S. government. But did they even try to resist? No court order. No delay. No legal protest. Just compliance. It seems their cooperation was entirely voluntary—just like during Project Chess, the NSA initiative where Skype quietly made user data accessible to U.S. intelligence. Yes, that happened.
Microsoft now says it didn’t cut services to the International Criminal Court, only to one person. The ICC’s president confirmed this. But let’s be honest: that’s a distinction without a difference.
Confusing? No. Revealing.
Just like when the U.S. froze Russian assets after the invasion of Ukraine, this may feel like a tactical win (Slava Ukraini!)—but it carries strategic consequences. In that case, the freeze accelerated doubts about the dollar as the world’s reserve currency. Billionaire investor Ray Dalio warned that such moves erode trust in U.S.-centric systems and hasten the shift toward alternatives.
The same dynamic is now playing out in tech.
When Microsoft pulled the plug on the ICC prosecutor’s account, it sent a message—loud and clear. No matter how many “digital resilience commitments” are signed, U.S. companies answer to U.S. power.
This wasn’t just about one inbox. It was a signal. And in Europe, it should be a wake-up call.
Conclusion: Europe is at a crossroads. It can continue to depend on U.S. platforms and hope for the best—or it can finally build the digital and financial independence it keeps talking about. Because today, the “unlikely event” just became very real.
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