Kremlin claims international law "no longer exists" and vows to build up its potential

Dmitry Peskov, press secretary for Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, has complained that international law no longer exists and said Russia needs to focus on its own interests and build up its capabilities.

Source: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in a comment to Russian propagandist Pavel Zarubin

Details: Commenting on events in the Middle East, Peskov initially said "nothing like this has ever happened in human history", adding that "we weren't alive then, so it seems to us that it's the end of the world now".

However, he said, "there has been significant destabilisation in the region, and there is a cumulative effect of a huge number of regional conflicts and unresolved issues, which are resulting in both economic and political repercussions."

Quote: "Sadly, we have all lost what we call international law. To be honest, I don't even understand how to call on anyone to adhere to the norms and principles of international law. It no longer exists. De jure, it exists, but de facto, it no longer exists. What kind of law has replaced international law? Hardly anyone can tell at this point…

That's why Putin is right – in the face of the perfect storm that has now begun, we need to focus on ourselves, our interests and our potential. Where we fall short, we need to build ourselves up. And we need to think clearly and stay focused."

Why this matters: Russia itself grossly violated international law by occupying Ukraine's Crimea and launching aggression in Ukraine's Donbas region in 2014. Since 2022, Russia has been engaged in an unprovoked, brutal full-scale war against Ukraine under false pretexts and with vague objectives. However, it does not recognise this as a violation of international law.

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