Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed that the United States should consider targeting Russian leader Vladimir Putin following the successful capture of Venezuela's socialist dictator, Nicols Maduro.
According to Breitbart, a United States Special Forces-led operation resulted in the apprehension of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who now face narco-terrorism charges in the Southern District of New York. The removal of Maduro, who had maintained a tight grip on Venezuela since 2013, was met with approval in Kyiv.
Zelensky suggested that similar tactics could be employed against Putin, who has been engaged in a prolonged conflict in Ukraine for nearly four years. "Well, what can I say? If dictators can be dealt with like this, then the United States of America knows what it should do next," Zelensky remarked, as reported by Ukrinform, following a meeting with European national security advisors.
These remarks from Zelensky emerge amid delicate negotiations spearheaded by the Trump administration to establish a lasting peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv. The situation was further complicated last week when the Kremlin accused Ukraine of orchestrating a drone strike on Putin's presidential residence in the Novgorod region.
Although Moscow claims to possess evidence, the United States CIA has reportedly determined that the strikes were not aimed at the Russian leader's residence.
In light of Maduro's capture, some have speculated that Russia might consider employing similar strategies in Ukraine. Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis pondered whether Putin might be contemplating the arrest of Zelensky, suggesting, "Maybe I should arrest Zelensky too and hand him over to Russian justice?"
In stark contrast to Zelensky's stance, Moscow has denounced the overthrow of Maduro, urging the United States to "reconsider their position and release the legitimately elected president of a sovereign country and his spouse."
Despite the Kremlin's military actions in Ukraine, it has emphasized that "any existing issues between the United States and Venezuela" should be resolved "through dialogue." Prior to his downfall, Maduro, a staunch ally of Putin, was vocally critical of Zelensky. During his weekly television program, With Maduro, in March of the previous year, the socialist leader labeled his Ukrainian counterpart a "clown."
Maduro also predicted that Zelensky would ultimately be abandoned by "U.S. imperialism," asserting that it was his "fate" for having aligned himself with America. As the geopolitical landscape continues to shift, questions remain about the potential consequences of these developments and the future of international relations in the region.
Login