State sovereignty is defined and limited by existing international rules.

Evidence

For if in fact we find that there exists among states a given form of international authority, the sovereignty of states is to that extent limited, and it has just that extent which the rules allow. Hence we can only know which states are sovereign, and what the extent of their sovereignty is, when we know what the rules are; just as we can only know whether an Englishman or an American is free and the extent of his freedom when we know what English or American law is. — HLA Hart, The Concept of Law (Clarendon Law…, 522

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — HLA Hart, The Concept of Law (Clarendon Law…, 522
• XREF: connects to: New states become automatically bound by international law without consenting to it. — HLA Hart, The Concept of Law (Clarendon Law…, 528; Enforced covenants require a sovereign power to prevent collapse into war — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2023; The agreements legally limited the practical sovereignty of new states. — Fanny Pigeaud_ Ndongo Samba Sylla, Africa’s Last Colonial Currency, 90 (+7 more)

Broader Connections

• Enforced covenants require a sovereign power to prevent collapse into war #complicates (0.75) — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2023