This article examines the deepening crisis of the international rules-based order, amid the resurgence of authoritarian regimes and the weakening of multilateral institutions. It investigates the ideological foundations and structural changes in modern autocracy, the internal decline of democratic governance, and the limited enforcement power of international law. Using Ukraine’s experience as a case study, it argues that democracies need to adopt strategic, proportionate, and legally grounded responses to authoritarian threats. The study suggests a three-stage framework for democratic intervention: a justification and proportionality test; highlighting targeted sanctions and legal accountability; public diplomacy as a vital tool to strengthen global stability.
Democracies are not immune to regression. Internal fatigue, scepticism towards globalisation, and the distrust of elites create fertile ground for authoritarianism
