Kallas decries international law breakdown as Ukraine, Middle East wars escalate “Worst since WWII”

EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said the world is witnessing the “greatest breakdown of international law since the Second World War,” drawing a direct parallel between Russia’s war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East, foreign media reports.

“The breakdown of international law is evident in today’s two preeminent global crises: Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the war in the Middle East,” Kallas said during an address to the United Nations Security Council in New York.

“Together, the crises in Europe and the Middle East represent the clearest sign yet of an abandonment of the old rules, including the U.N. Charter.”

Kallas reserved her strongest criticism for Moscow, describing Russia’s 2022 invasion as “one of the most outrageous breaches of international law,” while also linking the Middle East conflict — triggered by the U.S. and Israel’s attack on Iran — to what she called a broader erosion of global norms.

She warned that the escalation around Iran has “caused immense instability and cost far too many lives,” adding that it was sending shockwaves through global energy markets and supply chains.

The EU’s top diplomat also cautioned against a shift toward “coercive power politics,” saying: “We are hearing a lot about multipolarity today. But let’s be clear: Multipolarity, unrestrained by the U.N. Charter or international law … has never been peaceful, stable … and ultimately it always ends in devastation.”

“A new world is now in the making, characterized by competition and coercive power politics … dominated by a handful of military powers who aim to establish spheres of influence,” she said.

The remarks came as tensions in the Middle East remain fragile. Donald Trump, on April 12, announced on Truth Social a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after negotiations with Iran collapsed, warning of further escalation.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on April 13. The conflict had already added €22 billion to the EU’s energy bill, with Brussels preparing emergency measures including adjustments to state aid rules, support for gas storage, and steps to accelerate electrification to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Kallas said the fragile truce in the Middle East is “hanging in the balance,” but “offers much-needed opportunity to negotiate.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev