There's a lot to clarify and consider.
I’ve seen some articles on mainstream outlets talking about the role the US played in allowing Ukraine to happen. Here are a few:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/03/08/tucker-carlson-goes-full-blame-america-russias-ukraine-invasion/
https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/why-john-mearsheimer-blames-the-us-for-the-crisis-in-ukraine/amp
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/02/25/opinion/us-cant-absolve-itself-responsibility-putins-ukraine-invasion/
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/03/is-america-to-blame-for-russias-war-in-ukraine.html
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2022/03/31/what-do-americans-think-of-the-russia-ukraine-war-and-of-the-us-response/amp/
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-has-lost-ukraine-war-analyst-says-poll-shows-most-blame-us-1687725?amp=1
I also don’t consider CNN part of the intellectual elite. I think a lot of people in the US are aware of what you are talking about.
I’ve seen some articles on mainstream outlets talking about the role the US played in allowing Ukraine to happen. Here are a few:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/03/08/tucker-carlson-goes-full-blame-america-russias-ukraine-invasion/
https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/why-john-mearsheimer-blames-the-us-for-the-crisis-in-ukraine/amp
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/02/25/opinion/us-cant-absolve-itself-responsibility-putins-ukraine-invasion/
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/03/is-america-to-blame-for-russias-war-in-ukraine.html
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2022/03/31/what-do-americans-think-of-the-russia-ukraine-war-and-of-the-us-response/amp/
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-has-lost-ukraine-war-analyst-says-poll-shows-most-blame-us-1687725?amp=1
I also don’t consider CNN part of the intellectual elite. I think a lot of people in the US are aware of what you are talking about.