Can International Law Still Protect Us? Ukraine, Accountability and the Future of the Rules-Based Order - A Geneva Security Debate

The Russo-Ukrainian war has brought one of the defining questions of our time into sharp focus: can international law still protect states, safeguard civilians and sustain a credible international order when fundamental rules are openly challenged?

The international legal framework governing the use of force, the conduct of hostilities and the protection of civilians remains essential to international peace and security. Yet the war in Ukraine has exposed the persistent gap between legal commitments and political realities. Alleged violations of international law continue to raise urgent questions about accountability, deterrence and the capacity of international institutions to respond when the rules are breached.

These challenges extend far beyond Ukraine. They touch on the credibility of multilateral institutions, the future of European security and the confidence states and societies can place in an international order founded on shared rules and obligations.

For civilians, the stakes are immediate. The destruction of essential infrastructure, displacement, threats to medical services and the risks faced by humanitarian personnel demonstrate the human consequences when legal protections are not respected. For policymakers, diplomats and legal practitioners, the challenge is equally pressing: how can international law be translated into effective protection, meaningful accountability and a more sustainable peace?

At a time of intensifying geopolitical competition and growing pressure on multilateral cooperation, the question is not simply whether international law is being violated, but whether the international community has the political will, institutional capacity and collective resolve to uphold it.

Objectives

Convening perspectives from Ukrainian diplomacy and accountability, multilateral security diplomacy, humanitarian action and international humanitarian law, this GCSP Geneva Security Debate will examine what international law can realistically achieve in contemporary armed conflict, where its enforcement falls short, and what must be done to preserve its relevance and effectiveness.

Four perspectives on a defining international challenge

The debate will bring together four distinguished voices to explore the relationship between law, power, accountability and human protection.

Introductory Remarks: 

• Ambassador Thomas Greminger, Executive Director at GCSP 

Speakers

• Ambassador Iryna Venediktova, Ambassador of Ukraine to Switzerland and Liechtenstein
• Mr Christopher Lockyear, Secretary-General, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
• Mr Vincent Bernard, Private Security Sector Engagement Specialist, UNDP, Visiting Lecturer, Geneva Graduate Institute

Moderator

• Ms Christina Liang, Head of Counterterrorism and Preventing Violent Extremism at GCSP