TOWARDS A NEW INTERNATIONAL (DIS) ORDER?

The annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation brings to the forefront concerns about the efficiency and validity of international law as a guarantor and structure for peaceful relations among States. Departing from the structuralist school of international relations, the paper seeks to explain why the semi-anarquic situation of Crimea could pose a real challenge to diplomatic and conflict resolution efforts in the future. Through the analysis of international norms violated by Russia in Crimea, the paper concludes that it is the role of the United Nations Security Council to protect and enforce international law to create order in the international system. However, the paper calls for a reformed Council that acts truly in accordance to the United Nations Charter.