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Former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio warned that the international system established after World War II is facing one of its most serious tests in decades, as major powers increasingly resort to force, unilateral action, and geopolitical intimidation.
Speaking on The View From Manila, Justice Carpio reflected on the erosion of the rules-based international order created under the United Nations Charter after 1945. He explained that the modern international system was specifically designed to prevent another catastrophic global war by prohibiting states from settling disputes through military aggression.
According to Carpio, recent developments involving Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, tensions in the South China Sea, and escalating confrontations in the Middle East show signs that the world may be returning to a dangerous era where military strength, rather than international law, determines outcomes.
He warned that when powerful states begin ignoring legal constraints, smaller nations become increasingly vulnerable, while global stability weakens.
Key points:
- The UN Charter prohibits settling disputes through force
- Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s actions in the South China Sea undermine the rules-based order
- Use of force is only allowed in self-defense or with UN Security Council authorization
- Nuclear powers ignoring international law increase the risk of wider conflict
- Carpio warned the world may be “slipping into another world war”