Some Remarks on the Russian Aggression against Ukraine in the context of the United Nations System of Maintenance of International Peace and Security
Keywords:
Security Council; General Assembly; use of force; self-defenseAbstract
The paper observes the Russian aggression against Ukraine in the context of the United Nations system of maintenance of international peace and security, analyzing both the functionality of the UN bodies in performing their functions under the UN Charter, as well as observing the conflict in light of the UN Charter provisions on the use of force and self-defense, and in light of some other possible grounds for the use of force, not provided by the UN Charter. The paper demonstrates how the persistent problem of the Security Council deadlock, which manifested itself also in the case of the Russian aggression on Ukraine, has led to the General Assembly assuming the primary role in maintenance of international peace and security. The Ukrainian crisis has thus revived the debate on the long-awaited structural reform of the United Nations, but also on the revisiting the existing rules on the use of force, primarily the right to self-defense, which is too easily being used by states as a pretext for their unlawful actions.
References
Akiwumi, A.H. (1972). The Economic Commission for Africa. Journal of African Law 260, 254-261.
Arend, A. C. & Beck, R. J. (1993) International law and the use of force: beyond the UN Charter paradigm. London: Routledge.
Bakker, E. (2008). The Recognition of Kosovo: Violating Territorial Integrity is a Recipe for Trouble. Security and Human Rights 19, 183-186.
Barber, R. (2022). Could Russia be Suspended from the United Nations? Retrieved from https://www.ejiltalk.org/could-russia-be-suspended-from-the-united-nations/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ejil-talk-newsletter-post-title_2.
Bonafé, B. I. (2022). The Collective Dimension of Bilateral Litigation: The Ukraine v. Russia Case before the ICJ, Questions of International Law. Retrieved from http://www.qil-qdi.org/the-collective-dimension-of-bilateral-litigation-the-ukraine-v-russia-case-before-the-icj/.
Dapo, A. & Liefländer, Th. (2013). Clarifying Necessity, Imminence and Proportionality in The Law of Self-defense. American Journal of International Law 107(3), 563-570.
Faulconbridge, G. (2023). Russia’s Putin issues new Nuclear Warnings to West over Ukraine. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/putin-update-russias-elite-ukraine-war-major-speech-2023-02-21/.
Fix, L. & Kimmage, M. (2022). What if Ukraine wins? Retrieved from https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/ukraine/2022-06-06/what-if-ukraine-wins.
Freedman, R. (2022). Russia and the Human Rights Council: A Step in the Right Direction. Retrieved from https://www.ejiltalk.org/russia-and-the-un-human-rights-council-a-step-in-the-right-direction/.
Green, J. A., Henderson, Ch. & Ruys, T. (2022). Russia's attack on Ukraine and the ius ad bellum. Journal on the Use of Force and International Law 9(1), 4-30.
Güven, O. & Ribbelink, O. (2016). The Protection of Nationals Abroad: A Return to Old Practice, in Paulussen, Ch., Takacs, T., Lazić, V. & Rompuy, B. V., eds. Fundamental Rights in International and European Law. The Hague: Asser Press.
Hannum, H. (1998). The Right of Self-Determination in the Twenty-First Century. Washington and Lee Law Review 55, 773-780.
Janik, R. (2022). Putin's War against Ukraine: Mocking International Law. Retrieved from https://www.ejiltalk.org/putins-war-against-ukraine-mocking-international-law/.
Kerr, V. (2022). De-bunking the role of international law in the Ukrainian conflict. Retrieved from https://www.asser.nl/about-the-asser-institute/news/new-blog-post-victoria-kerr-de-bunking-the-role-of-international-law-in-the-ukrainian-conflict/.
Kirby, P. (2022). Russia to formally annex four more areas of Ukraine. BBC News. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63072113.
Lubell, N. (2015). The Problem of Imminence in an Uncertain World, in M. Weller ed. The Oxford Handbook of the Use of Force in International Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Lynch, C. (2022) The Reluctant Peacemaker. Retrieved from https://foreignpolicy.com/author/colum-lynch/.
Lynch, C. (2022) U.N. Denounces Russia’s Ukraine Invasion. Retrieved from https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/03/02/un-denounces-russia-invasion-ukraine/.
Mirovalev, M. (2022). Donetsk and Luhansk: What you should know about the “republics”. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/22/what-are-donetsk-and-luhansk-ukraines-separatist-statelets.
Murphy, S. (2020). Peremptory norms of general international law (jus cogens) and other topics: the Seventy-First Session of the International Law Commission. American Journal of International Law, 114(1), 68-86.
Nollkaemper, A. (2022). Three Options for the Veto Power after the War in Ukraine. Retrieved from https://www.ejiltalk.org/three-options-for-the-veto-power-after-the-war-in-ukraine/.
O’Meara, Ch (2022). Reconceptualizing the Right of Self-Defence against “Imminent” Armed Attacks. Journal on the Use of Force and International Law, 9(2), 278-323.
Pellet, A. (1992). The Opinions of the Badinter Arbitration Committee: A Second Breath for the Self-Determination of Peoples. European Journal of International Law, 3(1), 178-185.
Ronzitti, N. (2019). Rescuing Nationals Abroad Revisited. Journal of Conflict and Security Law, 24(3), 431-448.
Roth, A. Putin ties Ukraine invasion to Second World War in Victory Day speech. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/09/putin-ties-ukraine-invasion-second-world-war-victory-day-speech-russia.
Ruys, T. (2008). The “protection of nationals” doctrine revisited. Journal of Conflict and Security Law, 13, 233-271.
Sanger, A. (2022). False claims of genocide have real effects: ICJ indicates provisional measures in Ukraine’s proceedings against Russia. Cambridge Law Journal, 81(2), 217-221.
Schabas, W. (2022). Preventing Genocide and the Ukrainian/Russian Case. Retrieved from https://www.ejiltalk.org/preventing-genocide-and-the-ukraine-russia-case/.
Schmitt, M. N. (2022). Russia’s “Special Military Operation” and the (claimed) Right of Self-Defense. Articles of War. Retrieved from https://lieber.westpoint.edu/russia-special-military-operation-claimed-right-self-defense/.
Sterio, M. (2010). The Case of Kosovo: Self-Determination, Secession and Statehood under International Law. American Society of International Law Proceedings, 104, 361-365.
Visser, L. (2020). Intervention by Invitation and Collective Self-defense: Two Sides of the Same Coin? Journal on the Use of Force and International Law 7(2), 292-316.
Wentker, A. (2022). At War: When Do States Supporting Ukraine or Russia become Parties to the Conflict and What Would that Mean? Retrieved from https://www.ejiltalk.org/at-war-when-do-states-supporting-ukraine-or-russia-become-parties-to-the-conflict-and-what-would-that-mean/.
Winther, B. Z. (2020). A Review of the Academic Debate about United Nations Security Council Reform. The Chinese Journal of Global Governance, 6, 71-101.
Treaties
Charter of the United Nations, 1945, 1 United Nations, Treaty Series, XVI. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter.
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, 1948, United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 78, p. 277, accessed January 20, 2023. Retrieved from https://treaties.un.org/pages/showDetails.aspx?objid=0800000280027fac.
Montevideo Convention on Rights and Duties of States, 1934, League of Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 165, p. 19. Retrieved from https://treaties.un.org/pages/showdetails.aspx?objid=0800000280166aef.
Case Law
Reservations to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, Advisory Opinion of 28 May 1951, ICJ Reports, 1951, 15.
Military and Paramilitary Activities in and Against Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. United States of America), Merits, Judgment, ICJ Reports 1986, 14.
Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Uganda, Judgment, ICJ Reports 2005, 168; Judgment of February 2022, para. 65.
Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (The Gambia v. Myanmar), Provisional Measures, Order of 23 January 2020; Judgment on Provisional Measures of 22 July 2022.
Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation), Order of 16 March 2022.
General Assembly and Security Council Resolutions
A/RES/377A(V)
A/RES/3314 (XXIX)
A/RES/60/1
A/RES/60/251
A/RES ES-11/1
S/RES/2623 (2022)
Other Sources
Address by the President of the Russian Federation, 24 February 2022. Retrieved from http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/67843.
Draft Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts, with Commentaries (2001). Retrieved from http://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/commentaries/9_6_2001.pdf.
General Assembly Adopts Landmark Resolution Aimed at Holding Five Permanent Security Council Members Accountable for Use of Veto, GA/12417. Retrieved from https://press.un.org/en/2022/ga12417.doc.htm.
General Assembly suspends Libya from the Human Rights Council, GA/11050, 1 March 2011.” United Nations, Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/press/en/2011/ga11050.doc.htm.
Guterres in Ukraine: War is “evil” and unacceptable, calls for justice. United Nations, UN News. Retrieved from https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/04/1117132.
Luhansk and Donetsk regions recognized as independents states by Russia – as it happened. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/feb/21/russia-ukraine-news-latest-crisis-putin-biden-summit-kyiv-kiev-russian-invasion-threat-live-updates.
Member States Call for Removing Veto Power, Expanding Security Council to Include New Permanent Seats, as General Assembly Debates Reform Plans for 15-Member Organ, Seventy-third session, 36th & 37th Meetings, GA/12091, 20 November 2018. Retrieved from https://press.un.org/en/2018/ga12091.doc.htm.
Putin Repeats Opposition to NATO Membership for Ukraine. Retrieved from https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-europe-security-dialogue/31599940.html.
Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on the Future of the United Nations, 8 September 2022. Retrieved from https://usun.usmission.gov/remarks-by-ambassador-linda-thomas-greenfield-on-the-future-of-the-united-nations/.
Report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia, volume II. Retrieved from http://www.mpil.de/files/pdf4/IIFFMCG_Volume_II1.pdf.
Russia says Donbas separatists ask Putin for military support. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/russia-says-donbas-separatists-ask-putin-for-military-support/a-60893224.
Russia vetoes Security Council resolution condemning attempted annexation of Ukraine regions. United Nations, UN News. Retrieved from https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/09/1129102.
Secretary-General's press encounter on Ukraine, 22 February 2022“. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/press-encounter/2022-02-22/secretary-generals-press-encounter-ukraine.
Secretary-General's remarks on Russian decision on annexation of Ukrainian territory, 29 September 2022. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2022-09-29/secretary-generals-remarks-russian-decision-annexation-of-ukrainian-territory-delivered.
Secretary-General's remarks to the Security Council on Ukraine. United Nations, Secretary-General. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2022-08-24/secretary-generals-remarks-the-security-council-ukraine-delivered.
Security Council Fails to Adopt Draft Resolution on Ending Ukraine Crisis, as Russian Federation Wields Veto, 8979th meeting, SC/14808, 25 February 2022. Retrieved from https://press.un.org/en/2022/sc14808.doc.htm.
Speech delivered by the Ukrainian Ambassador at the UN Security Council on 23 February 2022. Retrieved from https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1a/k1a7pzqynd.
The US National Security Strategy 2002. Retrieved from https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/nsc/nss/2002/nss5.html.
UN General Assembly demands Russia reverse course on “attempted illegal annexation”. United Nations, UN News. Retrieved from https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/10/1129492.
UN Secretary-General condemns Russia annexation plan. United Nations, UN News. Retrieved from https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/09/1129047.
UN General Assembly votes to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council. United Nations, UN News. Retrieved from https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/04/1115782.
UN still Sees no Sign of Biological Weapons in Ukraine, Office for Disarmament Affairs, 22 October 2022. Retrieved from https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/10/1129952.
Vote on Draft Resolution”. Security Council Report. Retrieved from https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/whatsinblue/2022/02/ukraine-vote-on-draft-resolution.php.
War crimes have been committed in Ukraine conflict, top UN human rights inquiry reveals”. United Nations, UN News. Retrieved from https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/09/1127691.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Perisic Petra
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
The author fully assumes the content originality and the holograph signature makes him responsible in case of trial.
