Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Russian term or phrase:
выполнить формально
English translation:
words are not always backed up with deeds
Russian term
Australia
www.sabletranslations.com
Native in: English (Variants: British, Australian, New Zealand) 
, Russian (Variant: Standard-Russia)
Works in: Russian to English, English, English to Russian
выполнить формально
Text: По сути, его предложение было одним из возможных решений. Ведь он не только обещал мне божественность, но и гарантировал защиту для нашего мира. Насколько метрополия может гарантировать защиту колоний. Выгодно для меня, но достаточно печально для всех остальных. Не говоря уже о том, что ***обязательства всегда можно выполнить лишь формально***.
I'm looking for a way to phrase this sentence for literary translation.
TIA!
Proposed translations
United Kingdom
EN > RU Translator
Native in: Russian (Variant: Standard-Russia) 
Works in: English to Russian, Russian to English
words are not always backed up with deeds
Cambridge Analytica/Facebook: Will EU politicians back up their words with deeds?
On 14 May 2018, European Digital Rights (EDRi) wrote to the main political groups in the European Parliament calling for political self-regulation to help fight the problems of disinformation and political micro-targeting.
Ukraine
20 years in translations, Ph.D. (Chem)
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, English to Ukrainian
perform one's obligations perfunctorily
https://www.orthodox.net/confess/confession-chart-russian-en...
...This condition ensues from a mindless attitude toward faith, which in turn prompts us to perform many of our obligations perfunctorily, through habit, just as ...
см.
United States
On time, on target, on budget.
Native in: English , Polish
Works in: Polish to English, English to Polish, Russian to Polish, and 1 more.
fulfill pro forma
as a matter of form:
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/proforma
Occurring, undertaken, or performed as a perfunctory matter, in the interest of form, or for the sake of formality.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pro_forma#:~:text=pro forma (...
Go through the motions
Germany
US-educated, precise & thorough
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, Russian to English, Russian
A party can always choose to adhere to the letter of the agreement rather than its spirit
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Note added at 2 days 15 mins (2024-01-12 06:31:35 GMT)
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the details of the formulation can of course be tweaked. for example, "hono(u)r" might work better than "adhere to", "rather than the spirit" may be dropped altogether, etc.
Time's A Wastin'
Native in: Ukrainian (Variant: Standard-Ukraine) , Russian (Variants: Standard-Belarus, Standard-Russia, Standard-Ukraine)
Works in: Ukrainian to Russian, English to Ukrainian, English to Russian, and 6 more.
such obligations can be taken in name only, without throwing any real weight behind them.
For many years, the Emperor ruled in name only.
pay lip service to
"...when it comes to obligations, one can always simply pay lip service to them."
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