ORGANIZATIONAL AND LEGAL MECHANISMS FOR ENSURING INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY IN THE ACTIVITIES OF REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

The article is devoted to the issue of the activities of regional organizations in ensuring international security. The most famous regional organizations were selected for the study: The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the African Union, and the League of Arab States. Special attention is paid to the mechanisms for maintaining peace and security within each of the regional organizations. Attention is also drawn to the existence of joint armed forces that are created to protect civilians in emergencies resulting from armed conflicts or natural disasters and to counteract challenges that arise in the region. It is established that the studied regional organizations in the field of security can be divided into two 10 ПРАВОВИЙ ЧАСОПИС ДОНБАСУ / LAW JOURNAL OF DONBASS № 1(90), 2025 categories: regional organizations of security competence (OSCE, NATO) and regional organizations of a general nature with elements of security cooperation (AU, ASEAN, EU, LAS). In addition, it is determined that each of the studied regional organizations has its own approach to solving security problems and mechanisms for ensuring peace and security in the region. Particular attention is paid to peacekeeping, which remains one of the most effective tools for responding to current challenges to global peace and security. The purpose of such operations is to help countries affected by conflict make the transition to peace. It is emphasized that a number of organizations have created a legal framework for peacekeeping missions in their treaties. Some organizations conduct peacekeeping operations jointly with the United Nations, but there are also organizations that have conducted such activities independently. It is established that due to the proximity of states and their better knowledge of the conflict context, regional peacekeeping is more timely and effective.