Abstract: Despite various modern limiting processes, sovereignty remains the crucial and fundamental principle for the state and the entire international law system. However, the interpretation of sovereignty and prospects of its development are the topic of continuous debates in the academic circles. Therefore, this article examines the comprehension of the principle of sovereignty by academic community and its key peculiarities. The subject of this research is the historical development of the concept of sovereignty – the evolution of its understanding by historians through the course of time. From the methodological perspective, the article is based on cross-paradigmatic approach and is close to “integralism”, which encompasses the ideas of realism and liberalism, and suggests a comprehensive analysis of international relations (and discussion on the topic of sovereignty in particular), acknowledging their complex character overall. Special relevance the topic of state sovereignty gained in the late XX century, due to restructuring of the entire system of international relations as a result of dissolution of the Soviet Union. The author comes to the conclusion that sovereignty remains the paramount principle ensuring the existence of states, and despite the difference in approaches and representation on the future of sovereign, majority of the authors acknowledge the significance of the principle as such, underlining its fundamental character for the development of international relations.