Pre-eminent human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson looks at whether international law is capable of appropriately handling the trial of a head of state like Vladimir Putin, should he ever be charged with the crime of aggression for the war against Ukraine. So far, the international community has been powerless to stop the bloodshed, and in other cases like the war on Gaza, the state of Israel has simply ignored order from the International Court of Justice. So what is the role of international law? And should the UN Security Council be replaced with something more effective? 

Geoffrey Robertson KC, author, “The trial of Vladimir Putin”, published in Australia by New South Books.  Geoffrey is also Founding Head of Chambers at Doughty Street Chambers in London.