Lawyering Peace

What does it take to build lasting peace — and secure it? What kind of security guarantees can truly deter renewed aggression? In this episode of Lawyering Peace, Dr. Paul R. Williams is joined by Lesia Ogryzko, Director of the Sahaidachnyi Security Center, and Julian Braithwaite, former UK Ambassador to the UN and WTO, to unpack what a post-war security framework for Ukraine could and should look...

What does it take to create an international reparations mechanism? How can individuals and institutions contribute to a future justice process—one claim at a time? In this latest episode of Lawyering Peace, Markiyan Kliuchkovskyi, Executive Director of the Register of Damage for Ukraine, joins Dr. Paul R. Williams to discuss one of the most innovative legal accountability efforts emerging from Ru...

What are the legal and political pathways for using frozen Russian assets to compensate Ukraine? And why has the transfer of these assets become a litmus test for the rules-based international order? In this episode of Lawyering Peace, Ukrainian diplomat and legal expert Mykola Yurlov joins Dr. Paul R. Williams to discuss how frozen Russian sovereign assets could - and should - be used to support...

What does international law owe to Ukraine´s deported children? Why is Russia’s forced transfer of Ukrainian children a defining issue for global justice? In this episode of Lawyering Peace, Ukrainian international legal experts Dr. Yulia Ioffe and Dr. Kateryna Rashevska join Dr. Paul R. Williams to discuss the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia and Russian-occupied territories—a...

What does it take to negotiate peace when your opponent uses diplomacy as a tool for delay and manipulation? What lessons can we draw from the Minsk process to design a more durable peace in the future? In this episode of Lawyering Peace, Ukrainian lawyer and mediator Yuna Potomkina joins Dr. Paul R. Williams to reflect on the  shortcomings of past negotiations and the essential principles for sha...

What do negotiations look like when one party to peace talks never intended to negotiate in good faith? What can we learn from peace talks that didn’t lead to peace? In this episode of Lawyering Peace, former Danish diplomat Ivan M. Nielsen joins Dr. Paul R. Williams to reflect on his role as Denmark’s Special Envoy to the Syrian Opposition during the UN-backed Geneva peace talks. Nielsen offers a...

Why does the crime of aggression matter for Ukraine and international peace? How can a Special Tribunal hold Russian leaders accountable? In this episode of Lawyering Peace, Ukrainian international lawyer Dr. Gaiane Nuridzhanian joins the conversation to explain the case for a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. Dr. Nuridzhanian walks us through the evolution of the debat...

How is Ukraine reforming its judiciary while defending itself from Russian aggression? What role does judicial reform play in Ukraine’s pursuit of EU membership and democratic transformation? In this episode, Prof. Tetyana Antsupova joins Dr. Paul R. Williams on the Lawyering Peace podcast. Prof. Antsupova—former Supreme Court judge of Ukraine and British Academy Research Fellow—shares personal an...

Is the system of international law today capable of effectively achieving justice and accountability for Ukraine? How can accountability be made central to a future peace process—and not sacrificed for short-term political gain? In the latest episode of the Lawyering Peace podcast, Oleksandra Matviichuk, Nobel Peace Laureate and Head of the Center for Civil Liberties, joins Dr. Paul R. Williams to...

How has Russia used conflict-related sexual violence as a tool in its war of aggression?  What does meaningful justice for survivors of Russia’s conflict-related sexual violence look like? In this episode, Dr. Kateryna Busol joins Dr. Paul R. Williams on the Lawyering Peace podcast. Dr. Busol explores the widespread and systematic use of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) by Russian forces in...

How can Ukraine protect its territorial integrity in peace negotiations?  What role does the international community play in ensuring that no territory is lost? In this episode, Ambassador Elayne Whyte Gómez of Costa Rica and member of PILPG’s Circle of Former Ambassadors, and Professor Kushtrim Istrefi of Utrecht University and PILPG Senior Peace Fellow, join the conversation.  Ambassador Gómez a...

In this episode of Lawyering Peace, we are joined by Mykola Stetsenko, President of the Ukrainian Bar Association, who speaks about the pivotal role of private sector investment in Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. The conversation explores key industries primed for growth—agriculture, manufacturing, IT, energy, and logistics—as well as investment mechanisms such as public-private partnerships an...

Our second guest in our Series on Prospects for Peace in Ukraine is Dr. Ivan Horodyskyy, Vice-President of the Ukrainian Bar Association and Director and Cofounder of the Dnistrianskyi Centre for Law and Politics, where he manages projects related to compensation for Ukrainians for damages caused by Russian aggression.  Since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion, Ukraine and its allies have called fo...

Tune in for insights from Professor David Crane, Founding Chief Prosecutor of the UN Special Court for Sierra Leone.  This episode discusses David’s recent blog post with PILPG, in which he explores a potential ceasefire model for Ukraine, inspired by the successful Multinational Force and Observers established for the Sinai Peninsula. The conversation also covers the rise of power-centric diploma...

Ambassador Yvette Stevens, Sierra Leone's first female engineer, reflects on her groundbreaking diplomatic career at the United Nations and her nation’s tumultuous journey to peace during and after the civil war (1991–2002). In this compelling episode, she delves into the complex dynamics of the Sierra Leone Civil War, the controversial Lomé Peace Accord, and the innovative Special Court for Sierr...

In this episode, Justice Richard Goldstone recounts his remarkable journey from working within the South African justice system to dismantle apartheid to serving as the first Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and Rwanda (ICTR). He delves into the challenges of pursuing justice amid political resistance, from using judicial discretion to chal...

In this episode, Hind Kabawat shares her recent experiences returning to Damascus after 14 years, reflecting on a nation scarred by war yet brimming with hope. Hind, a key figure in Syrian peace negotiations and a staunch advocate for women's inclusion, discusses the vital role women play in shaping Syria's future. From leading educational initiatives in refugee camps to advocating for transitiona...

In this episode of the Lawyering Peace podcast’s Post-Assad Syria Mini-Series, Syrian intellectual and activist Ammar Abdulhamid offers an in-depth analysis of Syria’s transitional moment and the challenges ahead. Drawing on decades of advocacy for democratic reform and his experience briefing world leaders, Ammar discusses the current sentiment on the ground, the promise of a resurgent civil soci...

In this episode of our Lawyering Peace Podcast Post-Assad Syria Mini Series, we sit down with Betsy Popken, Chief Legal Advisor to the Syrian Opposition during the Geneva Peace Talks. Betsy shares her unique insights into the challenges and opportunities facing Syria in the wake of the Assad regime, exploring the groundwork laid for transitional justice, governance, and reconciliation. As Syria gr...

In this episode of Lawyering Peace, Berhanemeskel Nega, a seasoned diplomat with over 35 years of experience in multilateral diplomacy, mediation, and peacekeeping, takes us inside the challenges and lessons learned from the UN-AU hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID), where he served as Director of Political Affairs and Head of Office in Darfur from 2014 to 2020. Drawing on his leadershi...

In this insightful episode in our Mini Series on Post-Assad Syria, we welcome Ivan M. Nielsen, a seasoned Danish diplomat and former special representative for the Syria crisis. Drawing on his extensive experience in conflict resolution, human rights, and constitution building, Ivan reflects on lessons from the Geneva peace talks and shares his assessment of Syria’s evolving governance landscape....

Meet Edita Tahiri, Kosovo's former Deputy Prime Minister and chief negotiator. From leading peace talks during the Rambouillet negotiations to championing gender equality in the Balkans, Edita shares her inspiring story of resilience, diplomacy, and the pursuit of peace. Discover her insights into unifying delegations, advocating for independence, and addressing the ongoing challenges of unfinishe...

In this episode, Ambassador Lou O’Neill unpacks Moldova’s ongoing struggles with frozen conflicts in Transnistria and Gagauzia, the far-reaching ramifications of Russian influence, and how the war in Ukraine has reshaped the region’s dynamics.    Drawing from his tenure as OSCE Ambassador to Moldova (2006–2008), Lou provides critical insights into Moldova’s October 2024 EU accession and presidenti...

In Part 2 of the conversation with Dr. Lilian Atanga and Henry Atem on the Southern Cameroon conflict, we dive into the 2022 Canada Peace Talks, where the Ambazonia delegation—comprising leaders from various separatist groups—worked to build internal cohesion and present a united front. Their efforts, along with those of the Canadian facilitators, were met with an abrupt withdrawal by the Cameroon...

In this episode of the Lawyering Peace podcast, we delve into the complex and ongoing conflict between Anglophone Southern Cameroon (Ambazonia) and the Francophone central government of Cameroon. Rooted in a history of colonization by different powers, the two regions developed distinct cultures. Over decades, this divide has been exacerbated by persistent systemic marginalization and discriminati...