The new Cold War: Is Europe threatened with an unprecedented conflict?

The new Cold War: Is Europe threatened with an unprecedented conflict?

Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, represents a massive breach of modern international law. It is a blatant attack that violates the UN Charter's prohibition of force zebis.eu explained in detail. Despite the justifications allegedly cited by President Putin, it appears that there was no prior attack by Ukraine on Russia, which rules out any claim of self-defense. Instead, this conflict is classified as an open act of aggression that fundamentally challenges the global security order.

In a conversation about the current geopolitical situation, Brigadier Berthold Sandtner states that the world order based on international law is losing importance. Given the conflict in Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Hamas, one might think that the United Nations no longer plays a marginal role. But with the outbreak of the Russian war of aggression, NATO was strengthened, while French President Emmanuel Macron coined the term “brain death” for NATO. Sandtner highlights that member states now spend 2.7 percent of their GDP on defense, with Finland and Sweden having joined NATO and Poland investing more than the US, indicating a renaissance in the alliance.

The new war strategies

The war of the century as we are experiencing it is not only taking place on the battlefield, but is also evident in cyber warfare and the manipulation of information. According to Sandtner, hybrid wars and conventional wars are not opposites; He warns that the Austrian armed forces are lagging behind in electronic warfare. The need for a robust anti-aircraft capability is mentioned, as Austria would hardly be able to deal with it in the event of a massive attack. What is significant is that only Israel appears to be able to repel such widespread attacks, while EU states remain at great risk.

The challenges to the international legal framework appear obvious, especially after the recent interim order of the International Court of Justice requiring Russia to cease all hostile actions. However, this order is likely to continue to be ignored as the global community reorients itself in the face of aggression and the declining importance of international law krone.at determines. It becomes clear that the discussion of international criminal law and the need to prosecute war crimes in the face of the cruel reality is vital to maintaining the international legal system.