Proxy War: Its Philosophy and Ethics

Abstract Since the Second World War, proxy war has become one of the most widespread forms of war. One recent example, the war of Ukraine and its supporters against Russia, is being fought close to Europe. Although the theoretical features of proxy war in general have been researched in recent decades, the character of proxy war has changed since that time, which makes it necessary to study these features again. This article examines the concept of proxy war, and the ethical and particularly the justice-related implications of that concept, with the help of military philosophical and military ethical enquiry, and finds that the new style proxy relationship contains the satisfaction of the interests of the supporter and the supported at the same time, which, however, can hamper the consolidation of the conflict and reaching a lasting peace.