The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has put an end to the promise of peace in Europe. It has rippled the fundamental fabric the world knitted after World War II. Russia’s invasion is not only a blatant violation of the legal norms of the UN, but a slap in the face of the international moral order. Post-World War II generations have lived in a world built on the inherent premise that peace is the common goal. The audacity of Putin’s aggression indicates a Zeitenwende.

We as international lawyers find ourselves in a state of shock which will only slowly give way to reflections about the implications for international law. The relevance of our entire discipline has been called into question. We may not have answers yet, but we do not want to remain speechless in the face of injustice. Instead, we want to share and discuss thoughts, perspectives, and frustrations regarding international law in a constructive way. Our goal is to learn from current events by confronting our and your legal perspectives and experiences in a hopefully re-animating reality-check on different aspects of the conflict.

While the invasion of Ukraine is horrible, the reaction of the international community gives hope. Not only Russia itself, but also other States enabling the aggression (e. g. Belarus) have come under serious scrutiny. At the same time, strong answers of civil society, but also corporations, have shown to be a crucial step towards upholding the validity claim of international law. And while courts have in the past often been seen as toothless tigers, States and individuals have nonetheless turned to them for help.

In this session, we want to initiate a conversation with the audience, starting with brief inputs sharing what moves us and how the current events question and shape our work, giving insights in our thoughts. As the situation is in flux, so might be our thoughts. Therefore, the session is designed to provide a space for this ongoing thought process, building on an exchange of thoughts, ideas, and feelings.

The session will take place on March 8th, 2022 frm 17:00 until 18:30. To register, visit [here].

A conversation with:

Prof. Dr. Pierre Thielbörger discussing the Role of Courts in an Increasingly Lawless International Order

Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Heintze disussing European Security Architecture and Nuclear Weapons

Lisa Cohen discussing Cyber Warfare in the Russian-Ukrainian Conflict

Timeela Manandhar discussing Non-State Actors‘ Reactions to the Russian Aggression

Maximilian Bertamini discussing Time to recalibrate International Law?