Recent events in Ukraine, including intensified Russian aerial attacks and diplomatic discussions, have brought the concept of appeasement back into international discourse. The war, now more than three years after Russia's full-scale invasion, sees continued targeting of Ukrainian cities and ongoing debates about strategies to end the conflict, including negotiations versus continued resistance.
Intensified Attacks and Civilian Impact
Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, have experienced an increase in Russian aerial attacks. On Saturday, an attack in a northern suburb of Kyiv resulted in two fatalities and nine injuries, with black smoke observed rising from a missile strike on a nearby warehouse. Local residents described feeling their houses tremble from the force of blasts.
A composite image circulated on Ukrainian social media juxtaposed a black-and-white photo of London during the Blitz with a color photo of shoppers in Kyiv, with smoke in the background. The caption read, "Bombs can't stop markets."
According to UN figures, nearly 2,000 civilians have been killed this year, bringing the total since the war began to over 14,000. Russia's aerial attacks, utilizing ballistic missiles, explosive-laden drones, and glide bombs, have increased from dozens per day last year to nightly occurrences, often numbering in the hundreds. Targets, which the Kremlin refers to as "military and quasi-military," have included civilian rail stations, passenger trains, gas and electricity supplies, homes, and businesses. The financial cost of air defense systems is noted as significantly higher than that of the drones used in attacks.
Diplomatic Engagements and the Appeasement Debate
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's recent visit to Washington for a meeting with President Donald Trump was preceded by a phone call between Trump and Russian President Putin. Reports indicated that Zelensky's exchange with Trump focused on Trump's insistence that the conflict be settled along the existing front line and his refusal to authorize the use of long-range Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine to strike into Russia, citing escalation risks.
Regarding Trump's approach, Gregory Meeks, a senior Democrat on the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, characterized it as "weakness through appeasement." Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk commented on X that "appeasement never was a road to a just and lasting peace."
After returning to Kyiv, President Zelensky stated on social media, "Ukraine will never grant terrorists any bounty for their crimes, and we count on our partners to take the same position." Russia subsequently indicated its intention to advance on more territory.
Following these developments, Washington sanctioned Russia's two largest oil companies. This action followed a previous stance by Trump that he would not impose sanctions until European nations ceased buying Russian oil.
Zelensky later met with European leaders in Brussels and London. During these meetings, discussions included new sanctions packages and the use of frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine's war efforts, though a final agreement on the latter was not reached. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, speaking alongside Zelensky, committed to working with European partners to provide more long-range weapons for operations within Russian territory.