The Ukraine conflict was “provoked,” and it is wrong to place sole blame on Russia, according to Steve Witkoff, a senior adviser to former US President Donald Trump. He argued that Moscow acted in response to a security threat created by the West’s push to bring Ukraine into NATO, reports RT.
Witkoff made the remarks in an interview with CNN on Tuesday when asked whether Washington was right to engage with Moscow rather than continue sending aid to Kiev. He rejected the notion of a simple good-versus-evil narrative, saying, “The war didn’t need to happen. It was provoked. It doesn’t necessarily mean it was provoked by the Russians.”
According to Witkoff, prior discussions about Ukraine’s NATO membership were seen by Moscow as a direct security threat, compelling it to act.
He also highlighted Russia’s willingness to end the conflict through negotiations, citing peace talks held in Istanbul in early 2022, soon after Moscow launched its military operation. That process collapsed in May after then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reportedly urged Kiev to continue fighting.
“Russian officials have indicated they are open to ending the conflict through substantive negotiations,” Witkoff said, noting that both sides had come “very, very close to signing something.”
The Türkiye-mediated talks resulted in a draft agreement that would have made Ukraine a neutral state with a limited military, backed by security guarantees from major powers, including Russia. Witkoff suggested this agreement could serve as a framework for future peace efforts.
Last week, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky acknowledged the Istanbul talks as “an important reference point” and named Türkiye an “ideal host” for potential negotiations involving Kiev, Moscow, and Washington.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also repeatedly pointed to the Istanbul agreements as a potential foundation for any future peace deal.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
