Corinne, it is precisely because the Washington Post is connected to the CIA that I believe that particular article. Everything ties in with it.
That said, why would I believe the New York Times when it says that American special forces are in Ukraine. Apparently, it's a few dozen people. So bloody what. I don't care. I think they should be there.
I also don't accept anything the Intercept says. I do not, in general, have anything to do with far left or far right American publications. I read the international press from many countries, and from that I get a broader view.
The fact that NATO and America, etc. have been speaking to Russia for years before the war is meaningless. Are you saying that all these years they were speaking to him about not going into the Ukraine? I don't believe that. What do you think they were speaking to him about?
Also, why would you think that Putin is a man of reason? He clearly is not. What I am having difficulty here is your perception that Putin can somehow be spoken to, and that he will pull out of Ukraine.Why do you think that|?
If you had been following the international press, you would have seen that France's Macron has spoken to him several times. To no avail.
I would suggest you read the international press - not just American press.
