War in Europe and the international order
How does the Russian invasion of Ukraine affect the international legal order? Does the war taking place beyond our borders go beyond the European context? Will the brutal events in Ukraine, which have been going on for more than a year, accelerate changes regarding the new international order? And what is the role of the UN and other institutions in all this?
Popular analyses of international politics are full of 'breakthroughs', 'ends of eras', 'tectonic shocks' or 'new hands'. In the overwhelming majority of cases, such terms are used in an exaggerated way, leading to their inflation. Events that have an instantaneous, multidimensional and non-local impact on international relations are, however, very few. Undoubtedly, the Russian invasion of Ukraine is one of them, as it has a significant impact on the international legal order, the global economy and inter-state relations far beyond the European context. While realising that it is Ukraine and Ukrainians who are paying the highest price today, after more than a year one may be tempted to assess this impact and outline those phenomena and processes which the brutal Russian aggression and the heroic Ukrainian defence triggered, accelerated or inhibited.
The conference War in Europe and International Governance provided a venue for inspiring discussions on the possibilities ahead after the end of Europe's largest armed conflict since the end of the Second World War.