How does the UN Charter seek to limit the use of armed force between states?

The UN Charter seeks to limit the use of armed force between states by establishing a general prohibition on the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.12

To maintain international peace and security, the Charter provides two primary legal exceptions to this prohibition:

• Self-Defense: Under Article 51, states retain an inherent right to individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs, provided the response is necessary and proportionate to the threat. This right remains in effect until the Security Council takes the necessary measures to restore peace.31
• Security Council Authorization: The Security Council is empowered to determine the existence of threats to peace or acts of aggression. It may authorize coercive measures, including the use of armed force, to maintain or restore international security when peaceful settlement methods—such as negotiation, mediation, or arbitration—have failed.245

Beyond these provisions, the Charter emphasizes the peaceful settlement of disputes, tasking the Security Council with investigating situations that endanger international peace and recommending appropriate methods of adjustment.4