Marta Barandiy
@marta-barandiy
https://www.promoteukraine.org
Europe. Ukraine. Sovereignty. Solidarity. Dignity. From Brussels, I speak about temporary protection, human rights, democratic resilience, and the defence of Europe.
July 16, 2026
Is international law really failing—or are states choosing not to enforce it? In this presentation, I argue that the greatest threat to international accountability is no longer the absence of legal rules. The rules exist. The evidence exists. International institutions exist.
What is increasingly missing is the political willingness to allow the law to produce its full consequences.
Drawing on more than twelve years of advocacy in Brussels and my research in international and EU law, I examine how political caution, fear of escalation, economic interests, and selective enforcement have progressively weakened the practical authority of international law.
But this lecture is not only about law.
It is also about values. Many people today say that the international legal order is dying.
I disagree. Ukraine is fighting for its survival.
More importantly, Ukraine is fighting for the ideals on which that legal order was built: human dignity, human rights, and the principle that no state has the right to destroy another through force.
The struggle taking place in Ukraine is not only a military confrontation. It is also an internal struggle for dignity—between citizens and institutions, between civil society and power, between independent journalism and political pressure, between the rule of law and its imperfections.
Ukraine has not fully achieved these ideals.
But it has chosen them.
And Ukrainians continue to pay for them with the highest possible price.
Topics covered: International accountability for Russia’s aggression
International law and political decision-making Human rights and human dignity
Sovereignty and the UN Charter
The role of third states Ukraine and the future of the international legal order
European values and democratic resilience
If you found this lecture valuable, please like, subscribe, and share it with others interested in international law, European security, and the future of democracy.
Ukraine #InternationalLaw #HumanRights #RuleOfLaw #EuropeanValues #Accountability #RussiaUkraineWar #InternationalRelations #Democracy #Sovereignty
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On a closely related topic:
The west misunderstands Russia and Putin…
Even those of us in the democratic world who hate ruZZian genocidal fascism and support Ukraine in its existential struggle can feel only embarrassment and shame at all of our political classes, who divide themselves into lying putler shills like Krasnov/VanZkov, indifferent bastards and fair weather friends.
No foul weather friends.
The UK had almost none in 1939, except CANZ.
Georgia had only fair weather friends in 2008. As a consequence of that it is now a ruZZia vassal in all but name, with no realistic prospect of being free until or unless military action is taken to restore Georgia’s freedom.
Putler will be excited at the prospect of gaining two new shills that are vastly more dangerous to Ukraine than OrbanaZi. I refer of course to Weidel and Le Pen.
I regret having to say that, yes, the international legal order is pretty much dead.