Christopher Steele reappears as Russia expert but avoids dossier questions

British ex-spy Christopher Steele reemerged to weigh in on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, avoiding any questions about his discredited dossier and making no mention of his former Russian oligarch client, Oleg Deripaska, who has called for “peace” in recent days. Steele spoke with the BBC over the weekend and criticized the West for misjudging Putin.

Deripaska, a Kremlin ally known for his prior business relationships with Steele and Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, is accused of assisting the Russian government’s influence operations worldwide and repeatedly tweeted Monday that “we need peace.” He also shared a lengthy video that criticized Putin and his invasion.