Kallas warns of “greatest breakdown of international law” since WWII

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on April 13 drew a direct comparison between Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war in the Middle East, saying both conflicts reflect what she described as the “greatest breakdown of international law since the Second World War.”

Speaking at the United Nations Security Council in New York, Kallas said, “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," Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

She added that “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.” She also framed the wider Middle East conflict — which she said was triggered by the U.S. and Israel’s attack on Iran — as part of a broader erosion of international norms.

She warned that the war in Iran, which she said had quickly spread to surrounding countries, has “caused immense instability and cost far too many lives,” while also disrupting global energy markets and supply chains.

Kallas further cautioned against a global shift toward what she called “coercive power politics,” rejecting the idea of unchecked multipolarity.

“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,” she said.

She added, “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.”

By Sabina Mammadli