Mario Giro warns international order sabotaged by power politics

Former Italian diplomat Mario Giro, former under‑secretary and vice‑minister of Foreign Affairs and mediator for the Community of Sant’Egidio, argues that the post‑World‑War II international order has been deliberately set aside and sabotaged by the interests of individual powers. In his new book *Peace in Times of War*, he writes that the world is now living in an “age of force”, where war is treated as a normal tool of policy.

Giro condemns the normalization of armed conflict, citing the United States’ intervention in Venezuela, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the war in Gaza and other actions that bypass diplomatic dialogue. He stresses that peace must be pursued with realism and pragmatism rather than rhetorical idealism, urging a return to negotiations and balanced diplomatic engagement.

The commentary reflects broader concerns about the erosion of multilateral rules at the United Nations Security Council and the growing reliance on unilateral military power by major states.