Professor Milena Sterio conducted an online expert training for a cohort of Ukrainian prosecutors on prosecuting environmental crimes, as ecocide or as war crimes. The training was organized by the International Bar Association, and it took place on March 27th. Professor Sterio focused on the definition of the war crime of destruction against the environment under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, as well as on the development of the crime of ecocide under national law as well as international criminal law. Professor Sterio has already conducted similar trainings in person with different cohorts of Ukrainian prosecutors.
Category Archives: International Law News
Professor Sterio Moderates Debate on Operation Epic Fury
Professor Milena Sterio moderated a debate on the legality of Operation Epic Fury (Iran) on March 26. The debate was organized by the Federalist Society at Ohio Northern University Law School, and it featured Professor Dan Maurer (Ohio Northern) and Professor Robert Turner (University of Virginia Law School).
Professor Sterio Participates in Radio Show on President Trump’s Board of Peace
Professor Sterio participated in another episode of the “Talking Foreign Policy” radio show, a quarterly show broadcast on Ideastream (Cleveland-area NPR affiliate radio station) on the topic of “Assessing Trump’s Board of Peace in the wake of US-Iran war.” The episode was broadcast live on March 24, and it is available for on-demand listening here.
In addition to Professor Sterio, other experts on this show included Professor Michael Scharf as host (CWRU School of Law), Harold Hongju Koh (Yale Law School), Leila Sadat (Washington University School of Law), and Jessica Peake (UCLA School of Law). The experts discussed President Trump’s creation of the Board of Peace, the Board’s mandate, and its legitimacy in light of the existing United Nations-based international legal order.
Professor Sterio Participates in United Nations Event
Professor Milena Sterio participated as an expert and moderator in a United Nations event on March 10, titled “Women’s Equal Right to Participate in the Judiciary and Women’s Access to Justice: More Women, More Access.” This event was organized as a side event to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women conference at UN headquarters in New York City.
The event focused on the need for equal and inclusive participation of women in the international judiciary, including at the International Court of Justice. The panelists included Ambassador Jennifer Feller, Director General for Human Rights and Democracy, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Catherine Amirfar, Partner & Co-Chair, International Dispute Resolution and Public International Law Groups, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP; Ms. Akila Radhakrishnan, Legal Advisor, End Gender Apartheid Campaign; Professor Jelena Pia-Comella, Independent Expert, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) ; Amanda Chong, Counsellor (Legal), Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations; Ms. Amie Lewis, Senior Program Officer and Lead, Women in Leadership in Law (WILIL) Initiative, International Association of Women Judges; Claudia M. Flores, Chair of the UN Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls; and Lucía Solano, Legal Adviser to the Permanent Mission of Colombia.
The event was organized by the Gender Parity at the ICJ project, co-sponsored by the American Branch of the International Law Association, the Women in International Law Interest Group at the American Society of International Law, as well the Permanent Missions of Canada, Mexico, Sweden, and Singapore.
Professor Sterio Provides Expert Review for Kriminologie
Professor Milena Sterio provided an expert review for Kriminologie, a peer reviewed online journal in the field of criminology based in Germany. Professor Sterio’s expert review focused on an article about the role of war crimes prosecutions in the transitional justice process of Kosovo.
Professor Sterio Interviewed on Air Talk Radio Show
Professor Milena Sterio was interviewed live on the Air Talk radio program (Los Angeles NPR Station) on March 2, on the legality of the U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran under international law. The program, including Prof. Sterio’s interview, is available here.
Professor Sterio Speaks at British International Law Studies Association Event
Professor Milena Sterio spoke at the British International Law Studies Association webinar on February 24, on the topic of “Trump, US Foreign Policy, and International Law.” Professor Sterio’s remarks focused on use of force issues under international law in light of President Trump’s intervention in Venezuela, and the Administration’s threats against Iran and Greenland.
Professor Sterio Presents at Armenian International Law Association Conference in Yerevan, Armenia
Professor Milena Sterio was an invited speaker at the Armenian International Law Association Conference in Yerevan, Armenia, on February 14, in Yerevan, Armenia, “Rethinking International Law: Knowledge, Action, Reflection.”
She presented on a panel titled “International Courts and Beyond: Various Pathways of International Law Enforcement” on the specific topic of The Role of Domestic Courts in Global Peace and Security. In her remarks, Professor Sterio focused on how different courts can play a role in transitions toward peace and security, by holding states responsible for international law violations, and by imposing individual criminal responsibility on perpetrators of atrocity crimes.
Professor Sterio Co-Hosts International Law Chats Podcast
Professor Milena Sterio co-hosted a new episode of the International Law Chats podcast, a monthly podcast by the American Branch of the International Law Association co-hosted by Professor Sterio, Professor Chiara Giorgetti (University of Richmond Law School), and Alison McDonald, KC. The episode, published on Feb. 2, 2026, featured as guest Professor Harold Koh, Yale Law School, speaking on “The Future of the International Legal Order.” Professor Koh is the most highly cited international legal scholar; he is former dean of Yale Law School as well as former Legal Advisor to the U.S. State Department.
Professor Sterio Invited to Publish on Autonomous Weapons Systems in Australian Journal
Professor Milena Sterio has been invited to submit an article to La Trobe University’s (Melbourne, Australia) inaugural volume of the La Trobe University Law Review. The volume will focus on the theme “AI on the Battlefield: Navigating Legal and Ethical Frontiers in 21st Century Conflict,” and Professor Sterio’s article will focus on the issue of individual criminal responsibility for operators of autonomous weapons systems which use AI.