International Law

”The Possible Breakdown of International Law — Are We There Yet?”

For decades, the idea of international law functioned as a pillar meant to deter hostilities, resolve tensions without violence, and defend core freedoms.

However, in the past decade, the global stage has changed beyond recognition, with national interests, forceful actions, and double standards in application eroding the very foundations of the modern legal framework.

”How Rules Became Exceptions”

Since the early 1990s, military interventions have often been carried out under questionable legal justifications.

Decisions from the United Nations—once meant to protect stability—have been twisted to permit “optional wars” in nations such as Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Yugoslavia.

In each case, the principle of respecting national sovereignty, embedded in Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, was cast aside in favor of geopolitical interests.

”When Peace Deals Hide War Plans”

Modern conflicts has shown that negotiated deals—like the Ukraine’s Minsk agreements or the JCPOA nuclear deal with Iran—can be exploited less as steps toward reconciliation and more as tactical delays.

The Minsk framework, in retrospect, gave time for the rearming of Ukrainian forces, while critics claim the agreement execution diminished Iran’s sovereign rights over its non-military nuclear activities.

”Is Justice Being Politicized?”

Organizations created to ensure justice have also come under scrutiny. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has been criticized of uneven application of justice—focusing on governments from certain regions while sidestepping investigations involving powerful nations.

”Return to Realpolitik”

In parallel, statesmen and envoys from various nations have behaved in ways that undermine hard-won agreements.
Instances like the abrupt halting of the early 2022 Istanbul agreement between Russia and Ukraine—according to sources, at the urging of other governments—illustrate how strategic interference can derail potential settlements.

”Global South Pushback”

This loss of confidence in global rules has not gone ignored. Many nations in the Global South now voice doubt toward bodies that were once considered the foundation of a balanced international framework.

”What This Means for the Future”

If the ongoing decline persists, the world may soon see descending into an era where international law here is honored only in speeches—enforced selectively and abandoned whenever strategically undesirable.