- Nicolas Maduro was captured by US forces in a surprise raid in Caracas last week
- Ukrainian leader Zelensky hinted that the US might target Vladimir Putin next
- President Trump dismissed the need to capture Putin despite Zelensky’s suggestion
There appears to be more clarity on the US-Russia dynamics now, a week after the bold aggression that caught Venezuela off guard. Venezuela's former leader, Nicolas Maduro, was dragged from his bed to a New York jail in a surprise attack by the US forces in Caracas last week.
The manner of his capture reflected the 'might is right' adage, with allies like Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky suggesting that the US President, Donald Trump, could be planning a similar fate for Russia's Vladimir Putin.
Trump differed with Zelensky, stating that such a sanction is "not necessary," though he is "very disappointed" with Putin.
Putin faces an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court at The Hague over alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
Maduro's arrest days into the new year likely emboldened Washington's allies, including Ukraine, which has been resisting a fresh wave of the Russian offensive since 2022, holding its capital Kyiv safe yet from occupation.
Weighing in on the Maduro episode, Zelensky made an oblique reference to Putin, stating that if this is how a "dictator" must be treated, then the "United States knows what to do next."
Asked about Zelensky's remarks and if Trump would ever order a mission to capture Putin, the President said, "I don't think it's going to be necessary."
"I think we're going to have a--and always had--a great relationship with him. I am very disappointed. I settled eight wars. I thought this would be in the middle of the pack or maybe one of the easier ones," Trump told reporters during a meeting with the country's top oil and gas executives.
Read: Zelensky's Cryptic "What's Next" Reference To Putin After Maduro's Capture
Recounting the deaths of soldiers, the President regretted that he couldn't stop the Ukraine-Russia conflict and repeated his claim of stopping eight wars across the world.
"Last month, they lost 31,000 people. Many of them were Russian soldiers. The Russian economy is doing poorly. I think we are going to end up getting it settled. I wish we could have done it quicker because a lot of people are dying, mostly soldiers," said Trump.
The Capture Of Nicolas Maduro
It was a little after midnight in Caracas, and Maduro, then president of Venezuela, and his wife, Cilia Flores, were likely asleep in their mansion when a barrage of US jets began airstrikes across the city.
Then entered the Delta Force, one of America's most secretive combative forces. The soldiers then captured Maduro and flew him out of the country to a US military base. He was then transported to New York on USS Jima, a high-capacity amphibious assault ship.
Maduro's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, has now assumed the presidency of Venezuela, with the Trump administration now preparing to grab control of the country's oil exports.
