The article examines the fundamental transformation of international law under the influence of legal diplomacy as a distinct form of legal activity. An analysis of existing theoretical concepts and international legal practice reveals that, for centuries, the "right of force" served as the dominant regulator of interstate relations; powerful states used it to impose their will on weaker subjects of international law, while international legal norms frequently acted as a cover for the pursuit of those states' geopolitical interests. The article analyzes the historical transition from the dominance of coercive methods in interstate relations to the establishment of the rule of law as the primary regulator of international interaction. It examines the theoretical and methodological foundations of the interplay between law and force, the evolution of the institutional mechanisms of the international legal order, and the role of legal diplomacy in the codification and progressive development of international law. Particular attention is paid to the contemporary challenges facing the transformation of the international legal system amidst the emergence of a multipolar world, as well as to the prospects for further strengthening the "power of law" as the foundation of global governance.
transformation of international law; legal diplomacy; law of force; force of law; international legal order; institutional mechanisms; codification of international law; multipolar world; legal legitimacy
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