The Little History of “Escalation”
On February 18, 2025, senior officials from the United States and Russia met in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, for the first direct discussions about potential peace negotiations in Ukraine. This meeting stood out because it took place in the absence of Ukrainian representatives, which raised concerns among European leaders. The discussions focused on finding a way to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting generated various reactions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his disagreement with the format of the discussions, stating that “we cannot recognize any agreements about us without us.” European leaders have also expressed their concern about the possibility of a hastily concluded agreement that ignores the security interests of Ukraine and Europe.