Is it not obvious? International Law is the creation of ruling great power(s). It is downstream of power, setting the “rules of the game” of how the international community is supposed to act. It’s normative, not substantive, but it reflects the policy wishes of the great power. There’s a reason the UN and all international bodies are liberal in nature: they are informed by US policy preferences.

Since the U.S. (and the Allies, more broadly) created this international order, “rule of law” is weirded only to protect its foreign policy interests. Russia’s SMO is condemned, yet Turkey’s Idlib-based overthrowal of Assad and America’s actions in Venezuela serve its policy interests.

We have to avoid falling for our own propaganda. A liberal institutionalist theory of international relations makes for good diplomatic talking points, but is far from geopolitical reality.