Top 5 International Law Stories of 2025 (in 2 minutes)

By Yusra Suedi (PhD, Assistant Professor of International Law at University of Manchester)

The year 2025 was a big one for international law. It was defended, violated, bent, and loudly invoked across the globe!

Here are five of the biggest international law stories of the year (in no particular order).

1. Ukraine

Donald Trump has actively attempted to mediate a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia to end the war, the latest phase of which began in February 2022.

From an international law perspective, key issues include the legality of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (spoiler: it’s illegal) and how the war has been conducted on the ground.

The legal implications of the first 28-point peace deal proposal itself is also a big issue. SAIL provided an international law analysis of it here.

An updated 20-point peace deal proposal just dropped a few hours ago, by the way! Drop a comment if you want a quick analysis!

2. Gaza

Israel’s destruction of Gaza continued throughout 2025, with a ceasefire deal finally being reached in October 2025. (That said, many - including the UN, here - have observed that the ceasefire has already been violated, with violence ongoing.)

International law questions here are profound and wide-ranging, including the legality of Israel’s military operations; whether the conduct amounts to genocide (drop a comment if you’d like a dedicated SAIL post on this next year!), and other serious international law violations.

Major international law questions also arise from Trump’s proposed peace deal, which SAIL has commented on here. As this plan continues to unfold, keep your eyes peeled for quick, simple updates right here on SAIL.

3. Climate Change

Ah yes, the ever-looming march toward our impending doom on planet Earth (just joking!) (sort of…😄).

In 2025, the International Court of Justice finally delivered its long-awaited 133-page advisory opinion on climate change. SAIL broke it down into 10 clear takeaways, which you can read here.

World leaders also met at COP30, aiming (once again) to make progress. SAIL covered the key takeaways here.

Looking ahead to 2026, we can expect more climate litigation, increased pressure to phase out fossil fuels, and continued (and hopefully successful!) negotiations on climate-related issues like plastics, the marine environment and shipping.

4. International Criminal Court (ICC)

2025 was a huge year for international criminal justice.

The International Criminal Court recorded some significant wins, but also faced major challenges threatening its ability to function. Most notably, ICC staff members were sanctioned by the US government, seriously undermining the Court’s work.

SAIL unpacked all of this here, and will continue to provide clear updates as the situation evolves.

5. The US-Venezuela Situation

There have been so many Trump-related stories this year that it’s understandable if your head is spinning.

(And it hasn’t even been a full year since his second inauguration. Let that sink in. We’re in for a wild next three years…!)

One situation that deserves special attention from an international law perspective is the growing tension between the US and Venezuela.

Claims of a “war on drugs” used to justify the killing of drug boats echo the post-9/11 “war on terror”, despite the fact that no armed conflict legally exists. Add to that threats of military action against Venezuela, allegedly linked to oil interests, and the legal red flags multiply! SAIL covered this here, here and here.

Let’s hope this situation does not escalate into a full-scale war in 2026…!

Over to You!

Did I miss anything?

What were your top international law stories of 2025?

And what do you think 2026 holds?

Let me know in the comments, and happy holidays!