Credits: European Union, 2025

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged calm and respect for international law after the United States ousted Nicolás Maduro and President Donald Trump said Washington would run Venezuela temporarily. Her statement was backed by 26 member states, with Hungary opting out, and stressed that the UN Charter must be upheld and that restoring democracy requires respecting the will of Venezuelans. European capitals have diverged. Spain condemned the intervention as illegal, Germany said the legal assessment is complex and urged a democratic transition, while Italy and some others were more sympathetic to Washington’s narrative.

Washington has offered few details on a transition. Trump gave no election timeline and hinted opposition leader María Corina Machado might not lead. Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice president, remains the de facto authority and demanded his release. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States will judge actions, not words, and warned further strikes could follow. The episode tests Europe’s ability to defend rules while staying relevant in a volatile hemisphere.