Description
This roundtable is a joint initiative by the International Law and Politics and Russia and Eurasian Security Working Groups. It joins scholars with regional expertise with experts in international law and politics, human rights and international humanitarian law to address the question of what is at stake for the future of international law, the regulation and conduct of armed conflict and the international justice and human rights regimes. The war in Ukraine has led to enormous suffering and loss of life and on the one hand could be argued to illustrate the weakness of international law – the invasion itself was a clear violation of the law prohibiting the use of force, civilians and civilian targets appear to have been deliberately targeted and Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territory was unlawful. Meanwhile, accusations of war crimes and even genocide have been made by both sides. As we approach the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and consider a new Common Agenda, what role can international law and international institutions such as the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice play in addressing the challenges of promoting peace and ending conflicts, ensuring justice and establishing an international social contract rooted in human rights?
