Peacekeeping Operations and International Law
International Law Breakfast Briefing with Cornelius Wiesener, Copenhagen University
Peacekeeping operations take many forms. They may be conducted under the authority of the United Nations, regional organisations, or individual states, and their mandates range from traditional monitoring missions to more robust operations involving the use of force. The legal framework governing peacekeeping has attracted renewed attention in light of recent Israeli attacks on UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon and proposals to deploy peacekeeping forces, potentially including European contingents, along a future ceasefire line in eastern Ukraine.
The presentation will examine the core principles of peacekeeping, with particular emphasis on the use of force and the ways in which these principles have been challenged and adapted in contemporary practice. Specifically, it will analyse the status of peacekeepers under international humanitarian law, including the circumstances in which peacekeeping forces may become parties to the armed conflict and the legal consequences of such involvement. The presentation will also assess the international legal framework governing attacks on peacekeeping personnel, including issues of accountability and criminal prosecution. Particular attention will be paid to recent state practice and examples drawn from ongoing operations.
About the speaker
Cornelius Wiesener is a tenure-track assistant professor at iCourts and a member of the InterMil project, which conducts strategic research and provides research-based public-sector consultancy within the field of military studies.
Registration
Sign up for the breakfast briefing.
You will receive the Zoom link in the email confirmation.
About the series
The International Law Breakfast Briefings offer a regular opportunity for researchers, practitioners, and students with an interest in international law to meet, exchange views, and share research findings on current issues in the field.
Format: Each session features a presentation of approximately 20-25 minutes, followed by a discussion. Unless otherwise specified, both the presentation and discussion will be conducted in English. A Zoom link will be provided upon registration. Coffee and croissants will be available for all registered participants attending in person.
Researchers – including PhD students – and practitioners working in the field of international law who are interested in presenting at one of our upcoming sessions in the spring 2027 series are warmly invited to contact cornelius.wiesener@jur.ku.dk or astrid.kjeldgaard-pedersen@jur.ku.dk.