The French Society for International Law strongly condemns the unilateral action of the Russian Federation in Ukraine. This is an armed aggression violating the most elementary principles of the United Nations Charter, including notably the prohibition of the use of force.

In addition to the general rules of international law and the principles of the Charter that are binding on the Russian Federation, the latter is openly violating specific commitments it undertook towards Ukraine under the Budapest Memorandum, which entered into force on December 5th, 1994, and is registered in the United Nations Treaty Series. Among those commitments are the respect for the independence, sovereignty, and existing borders of Ukraine, as well as the obligation to refrain from the threat and the use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine.

Russia’s current actions threaten international peace and security and engage the responsibility of this State.

The French Society for International Law expresses its strong support for the Ukrainian people. It urges Russia to withdraw from Ukraine as soon as possible and to turn, as it is obliged to do under international law, to peaceful dispute settlement mechanisms.