As Russia continues to wage war on Ukraine, more horrifying news of its impact on civilians has been exposed, including graphic images of purported war crimes and other atrocities being committed against Ukrainian citizens.
Some international leaders have called for tougher sanctions against Russia, and others have expelled Russian diplomats from their countries.
But what else can be done? Does international law play a role in ending the conflict and bringing Russia to justice? Can Russian President Vladimir Putin be tried for war crimes, or any other international crimes, such as the crime of aggression? And if so, how?
International law experts Philippe Sands of University College London and Ryan Goodman of NYU Law join host Jeffrey Rosen to discuss the possibilities and limitations of international law in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as well as the relevance of the origins of international criminal law, dating back to the Nuremberg trials in 1945 and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson’s role in its development.
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This episode was produced by Melody Rowell and engineered by Dave Stotz and Greg Scheckler. Research was provided by Kevin Closs, Ruben Aguirre, Sam Desai, and Lana Ulrich.
Participants
Philippe Sands is the Judith Pisar Visiting Professor of Law at Harvard University, Professor of Law at University College London, and a barrister at Matrix Chambers, of which he was a co-founder in 1999. He practices as Counsel before many international courts, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. His latest book is East West Street: On the Origins of Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide (2016).
Ryan Goodman is the Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Professor of Law at New York University School of Law. He served as special counsel to the general counsel of the Department of Defense (2015-16). In addition to his posts at NYU School of Law, Goodman is an associated member of the Department of Sociology, an affiliated member of the Department of Politics at NYU, and a Distinguished Fellow at the National Institute of Military Justice. Goodman has co-authored several books, including Socializing States: Promoting Human Rights Through International Law with Derek Jinks (2013). He is also the founding co-editor-in-chief of the national security online forum, Just Security.
Jeffrey Rosen is the president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization devoted to educating the public about the U.S. Constitution. Rosen is also professor of law at The George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic.
Additional Resources
- “Opinion: Putin’s use of military force is a crime of aggression,” by Philippe Sands for The Financial Times
- “Opinion: How the world can prosecute Putin for going to war,” by Rebecca Hamilton and Ryan Goodman
- East West Street: On the Origins of Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide, by Philippe Sands
- Socializing States: Promoting Human Rights Through International Law, by Ryan Goodman and Derek Jinks
- Senator Lindsey Graham’s war crimes resolution
- Watch Justice Robert Jackson’s opening statement in the Nuremberg trials, or read the transcrip
TRANSCRIPT
This transcript may not be in its final form, accuracy may vary, and it may be updated or revised in the future.
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