Russia v. Ukraine: The Policy and Legal Considerations of an Unprovoked Attack on a Sovereign Nation

In the conflict instigated by Russia in Ukraine, we have already seen numerous and outrageous Russian violations of the Laws of Armed Conflict, but what legal recourse is there against these acts? Meg Steenburgh of the ABA Law Student Podcast interviews Judge James E. Baker to learn about the interplay of law and war on the international stage. Judge Baker examines Russia’s actions to date and offers insights on how the U.S. and other international players can and/or should respond as they follow the rule of law. They also discuss new uses of AI in war, historical examples that compare to Ukraine’s struggle against its aggressor, and why law matters even if a wartime opponent refuses to adhere to it. 

Judge James E. Baker is director of the Syracuse University Institute for Security Policy and Law, a professor at the Syracuse College of Law and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and a Distinguished Fellow at the Georgetown Center for Security and Emerging Technology, Georgetown University. He previously served as a Judge and Chief Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

 

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