Ukraine’s U.N. Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya responded: “None of the countries that provide assistance to Ukraine is under Security Council sanctions.” “Receiving assistance from the fully-sanctioned North Korea is a brazen violation of the U.N. Charter,” he added. “Sending the DPRK troops to support Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is a flagrant violation of international law.”
I think this is the most important nuance around this whole genocidal cluster fuck. What does international law mean if any one country can just fucking ignore it?
Because it is a common set of rules that actions can be judged against. And this used to mean something. But just like with the laws in a country… if a large group ignores it while being immune to the consequences you also have problems.
What I mean to say is that enforcement is key. In the case of Russia there are sanctions that grow and increasingly constrict daily. I’d argue they don’t go far enough… all trade with Russia should be stopped, full stop, but that will cause food issues for people in other countries. So it should be no trade except these items.
The USA never acknowledged “international law”
Which is also why the post cold war world order was doomed to fail. The only remaining super power not choosing the moral high ground severely damaged any prospects at a longer lasting peace.
“Rules for thee but not for me” also has an adverse effect in geopolitics, not only at work, school or any organization.
What moral high ground?