To accept the mainstream Western narrative uncritically is to participate in a mass delusion—one that ignores the West’s role in stoking tensions, dismisses any diplomatic off-ramps, and traps Ukraine in an unwinnable war. Horton’s message is not about excusing Putin’s predations; it’s about recognizing the patterns of manipulation that have led to yet another war with no exit strategy, no realistic path to victory, and no regard for the people suffering on the ground.

Provoked is not just a book about Ukraine; it is a warning about the dangers of self-deception in foreign policy. It is a plea to resist the consensus, to question the narratives fed to us by governments and media conglomerates, and to recognize that while Russia bears responsibility for its actions, the West is far from innocent. In the end, the greatest tragedy of this war may not be Ukraine’s inevitable defeat—it is that it never had to happen in the first place.

The Trump administration has said it believes that bringing the war to an end through diplomacy should be the primary objective. It won’t be easy, but at least he seems to understand that ending this war is not about appeasing Russia; it’s about preventing further bloodshed, about stopping a conflict that has already hollowed out Ukraine and left its future hanging in the balance. At some point, the West must decide whether it truly stands for Ukraine’s survival or for a war with no end in sight.