In Moscow, Russia's Foreign Ministry declared it does not recognize the arbitral tribunal adjudicating South China Sea claims, grounding its rejection in a foundational principle of international law: that no court or tribunal may exercise jurisdiction over a party that has not consented to its authority. By aligning formally with China's long-held position, Russia signals not merely a legal opinion but a broader vision of how disputes among nations should be settled — through dialogue between those directly involved, not through external judicial bodies whose legitimacy one party has never ac