The Prohibition of the Use of Force – Revisiting a central tenet of international law
SPRING MEETING
OF THE ROYAL NETHERLANDS SOCIETY OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
The Prohibition of the Use of Force
Revisiting a central tenet of international law
TUESDAY 9 JUNE 2026, 16.00 – 17.30 HOURS
CAMPUS LEIDEN UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITEITSCAMPUS SPUI,
ROOM 4B.38, SPUI 5, THE HAGUE AND ONLINE
Recent times have seen a serious challenge of the binding nature of public international law, including the prohibition of the use of force – once generally recognized as one of the most basic norms of the post-World War II legal order. The prohibition on the use of force was not only challenged by the invasion of the Crimea and the brutal war against Ukraine. Also countries seen as allies of the European collaboration (in both the EU and NATO) show little respect for the basic rules of international law – with the war against Iran as a recent and pertinent example.
During the spring meeting a panel of experts will discuss the ongoing value of the prohibition on the use of force and how this can be strengthened. What can and should ‘we’ in Europe do in the face of the current challenges?
The panel consists of
- Prof. Terry Gill, emeritus Professor of Military Law at the University of Amsterdam;
- Dr. Alexandra Hofer, Assistant Professor in Public International Law at Utrecht University School of Law, Department of International and European Law;
- Prof. Liesbeth Lijnzaad, Professor of Practice of International Law at Maastricht University and Judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Hamburg.
The panel presentation will be followed by discussion and drinks.
Registration: Please send an email to gro.r1777663415ivnk@1777663415tcatn1777663415oc1777663415 by Friday 3 june 2026 indicating whether you would like to attend the meeting in person or online.