Ukraine conflict was 'provoked' - Trump adviser | 24 Feb 2025 | The Ukraine conflict was "provoked" and it is wrong to solely blame Russia, Steve Witkoff, a senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, has said. Moscow had to respond to a security threat created by the West's promises to accept Ukraine into NATO, he stated. Witkoff made the remarks in an interview published by CNN on Tuesday, in which he was asked whether Washington was choosing the right side by holding talks with Moscow instead of continuing to funnel aid to Kiev. The situation is not black-and-white, with Russians being "the bad guys," Witkoff told CNN. "The war didn't need to happen, it was provoked," he added. "It doesn't necessarily mean it was provoked by the Russians."