Peace Report: Are modern warlords in power?

Published 9 June 2026 · world

Russia invades Ukraine, Israel and the US attack Iran, civil wars drag on in Africa — and what about international law? German researchers paint a

Russia invades Ukraine, Israel and the US attack Iran, civil wars drag on in Africa — and what about international law? German researchers paint a grim picture in their latest annual Peace Report. "Warlord" is a term that was commonly used in the 1990s in connection with civil wars in Liberia, Afghanistan and Somalia. During that time, it was used to describe leaders who waged war to further their own interests, with no regard for the degradation of countries. The 2026 Peace Report from four leading German peace and conflict research institutes focuses on the comeback of such actors in the 21st century. "The new warlords undermine the international order," said Conrad Schetter from the Bonn International Center for Conflict Studies as he launched the report on Monday in Berlin together with three other institutes. The conflict researchers listed several names, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Schetter accused them and others of essentially the same thing: "Using military violence is their preferred method of advancing their interests. In doing so, they do not care about international law." Schetter's colleague, Ursula Schröder from the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg (IFSH) added: "We don't want to equate anything, but we do see patterns," referring to Putin, Trump, Netanyahu and other people in power. Middle East fears Iran-Israel fighting could become new norm To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Violence as 'a normal instrument of politics' The authors of the Peace Report said they recognize a pattern in the renewed and preferred application of violent force by certain actors as a "normal instrument of politics." In doing so, these actors also attempt "to curtail the political sovereignty of other countries," in the interests of profit and expanding power.

According to the study, this also applies to several Gulf states: Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. "They are involved in numerous civil wars, from Libya to Somalia," conflict researcher Schetter said. For them, it is also about advancing their geopolitical, strategic or economic interests. Less development cooperation and humanitarian aid This is why the warlord theme is prevalent throughout the study, including in its title, Nicole Deitelhoff from the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) explained: because they accelerate the collapse of the international order. She pointed to the United Nations as an example. To stop this trend, she said she expects more engagement from Germany and Europe: "We urge them to find partners in order to sustain a system of rules." She and the other experts consider financial cuts to development cooperation and humanitarian aid to be the wrong path to this end. Such withdrawal strengthens crisis dynamics, they said in a joint statement. Merz reignites debate on Ukraine land concessions to Russia To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video More hunger, more sickness, more crime According to the Peace Report, the real-world consequences are multidimensional: more food crises and famines, or the spreading of potentially deadly infections such as what is currently happening with the Ebola virus. Plus: "Taking away aid goes hand in hand with a drastic increase in criminality and armed conflicts, for example, in Haiti, Democratic Republic of Congo or in South Sudan." Germany should therefore reverse its cuts to development cooperation, the conflict researchers suggest.