Blog Post #3_Will Scott

 

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to upend the daily lives of Ukrainian citizens, we find ourselves asking when this horrible conflict will end, and if there are going to be any consequences for Russian president Vladimir Putin. Before spring break started, we discussed international law and how military weak countries, such as Ukraine, lean on international law, and it is my belief that when this war ends Vladimir Putin will be put on trial at an international level, with the support of the United States, due to the war crimes he has committed which violate international law and the Geneva Convention. 

International law only exists when it is enforced by other countries, which in the past has not meant much, but since the invasion of Ukraine started three weeks ago, many western nations condemn the actions of president Putin and believe that he should be tried in international court due to his actions. Russian forces have deliberately targeted and bombed locations like theaters and hospitals where Ukrainian citizens have been taking shelter. Russia has also been using cluster and vacuum bombs which is also considered a war crime. Russia believed that the invasion of Ukraine would be a swift operation due to the fact that they are militarily weaker than Russia. It is clear that invasion has not been going the way that Putin has hoped, but that does not mean that Ukraine has a strong military. Ukraine has been relying heavily on NATO members to supply them with weapons to help thwart Russian advances because statistically Russia has a stronger military. Therefore, the Ukrainian government will also be relying on Western powers to prosecute Putin and other Russian generals on counts of war crime. 

Even though the United States is not part of the International Criminal Court, I believe that they would support a prosecution of president Putin. If you look at the sanctions that the United States has put on Russia it is clear that they are defending Ukraine, so if Putin was indicted, the International Criminal Court, and its 123 members, would have the full support of the United States. If this comes to fruition, it has the potential to usher in a new age of international law that is similar to what the world saw after the second world war. 

Comments

  1. Laurel UtterbackMarch 28, 2022 at 2:05 PM

    Will- I think you have made a very strong point as to why the ICC should, and could, become involved in the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Your argument aligns with the "strong do what they want, but the weak do what they must" argument that was brought up in a previous class.

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  2. Matthew PaddockMarch 29, 2022 at 1:52 PM

    This is a strong argument and I think you've correctly predicted where US policy is moving with regard to President Putin. In his address to the people of Poland, President Biden stated that he does not want Putin to remain in power. This was the first time that Biden made such an assertion which was eventually walked back by leaders of US intelligence and press officials. Though his statements were "clarified" to mean Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region, I still think this moment is a clear inflection point. The president clearly wants to be aggressive and appeal to the sentiments of the American people. However, this statement in the public sphere could be very dangerous since it could stop diplomatic talks and further complicate the situation.

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