Part 2/9:
The conversation kicked off with highlights from recent statements made by Steve Wickoff, a prominent envoy under Donald Trump. Wickoff's comments directly challenged the established narrative that Russia's invasion of Ukraine was unprovoked, a stance sustained by the U.S. government for several years. His assertion—that the war was provoked, particularly by NATO's encroachment—reflects sentiments shared by a small subset of commentators who have been marginalized by mainstream media outlets.