Aurel Sari
@aurelsari.com
Professor of Public International Law, University of Exeter
According to the New Scientist, Ukraine conducted a test of autonomous lethal drones to target Russian soldiers in 2024. While the reporting should be taken with a pinch of salt, it highlights some LOAC questions that merit attention. Brief comments here: geopolemic.substack.com/p/autonomous...
Autonomous Lethal Drones / Autonóm, halálos drónok
Testing the Law of Armed Conflict? / A fegyveres konfliktusok jogának határmezsgyéjén? (A. Sari)
geopolemic.substack.com
“…industry is not bound to ensure that its products are compliant with the law of armed conflict. … This could present the Ministry of Defence with an unpalatable choice between redesigning these systems at considerable expense or deploying them at the risk of non-compliance.”
Aurel Sari@aurelsari.com · 2mo agoJust published: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐈 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲? Read the full paper here: doi.org/10.1080/1470....
Just published: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐈 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲? Read the full paper here: doi.org/10.1080/1470....
The military use of AI and the law of armed conflict: what role for government and industry?
The UK has committed itself to the responsible adoption of AI technologies for military use. While the Ministry of Defence has published detailed guidance on the ethical dimension of military AI, s...
doi.org
that’s exactly how I like my croissant, starbucks: toasted into oblivion 🙄
great post
Verfassungsblog@verfassungsblog.de · 5mo agoOn 12 March, the UN Security Council condemned Iran’s strikes as a “breach of international law.” SAFIA SOUTHEY argues the resolution is likely binding – but methodologically flawed, as it assesses Iran’s actions while ignoring the prior use of force. verfassungsblog.de/unsc-resolut...
Did the law of armed conflict apply to the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader? AUREL SARI (@aurelsari.com) responds to a text we published last week and argues that the law of armed conflict applies from the very first act of violence in an armed conflict. verfassungsblog.de/killing-kham...
Let’s hope someone has checked in with the Cypriot authorities to see how they feel about the duties of neutral States…
UK Defence Journal@ukdefencejournal.org.uk · 5mo agoThe Ministry of Defence has said non-essential personnel and families at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus have been relocated to temporary accommodation elsewhere on the island as part of measures to strengthen security at the base. ukdefencejournal.org.uk/families-mov...
My thoughts on the legal basis and justification for the UK’s military operations against Iran. It’s complicated…
Just Security@justsecurity.org · 5mo agoThe United Kingdom’s Use of Force Against Iran: Walking a Legal Tightrope? By Professor @aurelsari.com "The purpose of this analysis is to unpack the British position with reference to the rules governing the use of force and the events that have unfolded since Starmer’s initial statement."
Hostilities in the 2003 invasion of Iraq opened with an attempted decapitation strike against Saddam Hussein.
Arthur Snell@snellarthur.bsky.social · 5mo agoIf you think I'm missing something - Gadhaffi was killed by Libyan rebels - not international targeting. Saddam wasn't head of state when he was tried and condemned by an Iraqi court. (In both cases there are plenty of objections you might make, but it wasn't a direct hit by a foreign state). 2/3
No reported current membership or affiliation with the armed forces or security services. Most likely not DPHing. What made him a military objective?
The Jerusalem Post@thejerusalempost.bsky.social · 5mo agoReport: Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, who served as Iranian president from 2005 until 2013, was killed in an Israeli-US airstrike, according to Iranian media. www.jpost.com/middle-east/...
Was the Jan. 7 U.S. capture of a Russian-flagged tanker unlawful? Rob McLaughlin, Conor McLaughlin, and @mikeschmitt.bsky.social say the likely answer is yes, under the law of naval warfare: www.justsecurity.org/129792/lonw-...
The Law of Naval Warfare and The Case of the Marinera
In‑depth legal examination of the U.S. capture of the Russian‑flagged tanker Marinera and its implications under the law of naval warfare.
justsecurity.org
Great post. Realisation sinking in that forward-leaning lawyering wasn’t the ultimate circle of hell?
Verfassungsblog@verfassungsblog.de · 6mo agoTrump captured Maduro, skipping even perfunctory legal justification. SOPHIE DUROY and LUCA TRENTA on why even hypocritical arguments better sustain international law's norms. verfassungsblog.de/even-hypocri...
Six times in his Davos speech, President Trump declared that the United States had 'gotten nothing' out of NATO. Deeply, deeply offensive.
The Independent@the-independent.com · 6mo agoTrump’s swipe at Nato soldiers in Afghanistan angers veterans
'The damage has been done': As Trump claims victory on Greenland, Europe loses trust www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...
'The damage has been done': As Trump claims victory on Greenland, Europe loses trust
President Donald Trump said in a speech at Davos that the U.S. must have Greenland. He leaves without ownership but having shaken his country's alliance with Europe, experts say.
nbcnews.com
Six times in his Davos speech, President Trump declared that the United States had 'gotten nothing' out of NATO. Deeply, deeply offensive.
The Independent@the-independent.com · 6mo agoTrump’s swipe at Nato soldiers in Afghanistan angers veterans
Am confused: so the Trump Administration does need international law after all?
Executive Order Tracker@executiveorders.bsky.social · 7mo agoExecutive Order: 14375 Title: Designating the Board of Peace as a Public International Organization Entitled To Enjoy Certain Privileges, Exemptions, and Immunities Signed On: 2026-01-16
An expert international law analysis of the insurmountable legal obstacles of any US acquisition of Greenland, from the non-use of force to the right of self-determination. By @mikeschmitt.bsky.social and @tessbridgeman.bsky.social www.justsecurity.org/129374/legal...
Legal Obstacles to U.S. Acquisition of Greenland
Any acquisition of Greenland by the United States would directly violate fundamental principles of international law.
justsecurity.org
Professor @aurelsari.com from @uniexeterlawschool.bsky.social discusses the impact of Donald Trump's proposed "Board of Peace" www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...
What is Trump's 'Board of Peace' and would it have real power?
A leaked charter suggests Trump's "Board of Peace" aims to have a worldwide mandate. International law experts say its power would be limited. #TheCube
euronews.com
President Trump’s threats to seize Greenland by force raise the question whether Denmark could invoke Article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union, the EU’s mutual assistance clause. Here’s my take on the matter.
Opinio Juris@opiniojuris.bsky.social · 7mo agoThe Art of the Steal: Does the EU’s Mutual Assistance Clause Protect Greenland? opiniojuris.org/2026/01/12/t...
The Art of the Steal: Does the EU’s Mutual Assistance Clause Protect Greenland? opiniojuris.org/2026/01/12/t...
The Art of the Steal: Does the EU’s Mutual Assistance Clause Protect Greenland?
[Dr Aurel Sari is a professor of public international law at the University of Exeter Law School] On 6 January 2026, US President Donald Trump restated his longstanding desire to take control of Gr…
opiniojuris.org
In a nutshell: the rule of law is a fine thing for promoting one's values and interests. Couldn't agree more. The problem is that neither lawfare nor legal Statecraft will be of much use to the US if it dismantles the international legal order. Unless the aim of its lawfare strategy is just that.
Lawfare@lawfaremedia.org · 7mo ago"The United States should thus move beyond episodic lawfare and toward an explicit doctrine of legal statecraft: using law as a proactive, adaptive, shaping instrument of grand strategy," write Peter Dombrowski and Simon Reich.
States that 'the UK provided enabling support in full compliance with international law' for the US interdiction of the Bella 1. Curious as to the legal basis for interdiction. www.gov.uk/government/n...
UK provides support to U.S. seizure of Bella 1 accused of shadow fleet activities and Iran sanctions breaches
The UK has provided enabling support to the United States at their request to interdict the vessel Bella 1 today.
gov.uk
Is it the same international law that is not available to Venezuela and not binding on the US that Kemi Badenoch expects the US to honour and available to Denmark in relation to Greenland? #askingforafriend
The Independent@the-independent.com · 7mo agoTrump was ‘morally right’ to attack Venezuela and seize Maduro, says Kemi Badenoch
