Many claim the West provoked the Russian attack on Ukraine but couldn't we say the Russians are provoking the West? Provoke seems to suggest an actor has the right to something and someone is infringing on their right to it and any reaction is justified. But in 2014 and 2022 why does Russia have rights over Ukraine? Why doesn't Ukraine have dominion over itself? Or why doesn't the West have the right to influence Ukraine? Who decided, how and why? The answers to these questions are the cause and the likely solutions to the conflict but people often skip over them and just assume an answer with analyzing.