By Gloria Ogbonna
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared to suggest that Russian President Vladimir Putin could be the next target of decisive U.S. action, following the dramatic capture of Venezuela’s long-time socialist leader, Nicolás Maduro.
Zelensky’s remarks came amid heightened global tensions and ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine.
In a series of coordinated early-morning strikes, a U.S. Special Forces–led operation resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Both were reportedly taken out of Venezuela and now face criminal charges in the Southern District of New York, including allegations related to narco-terrorism.
The operation effectively ended Maduro’s grip on power, which had lasted since 2013 and was marked by widespread international criticism over human rights abuses, political repression, and economic collapse.
The fall of the Venezuelan leader was welcomed in Kyiv. Ukrainian officials and commentators viewed the operation as a powerful signal that entrenched authoritarian rulers could be removed through decisive international action.
President Zelenskyy on Maduro:
What can I say here? If this can be done to dictators, like that, then the United States of America know what they should do next. pic.twitter.com/VmEuTwTBnB
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) January 3, 2026
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of European national security advisers, Zelensky reacted pointedly to the news.
“Well, what can I say?” Zelensky said, according to Ukrinform. “If dictators can be dealt with like this, then the United States of America knows what it should do next.”
While Zelensky did not explicitly name Putin in his remarks, the implication was widely interpreted as a reference to the Russian president, who launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago and continues to prosecute the war despite heavy casualties and international sanctions.
Zelensky’s comments come at a sensitive moment, as the Trump administration is reportedly leading renewed negotiations aimed at forging a lasting peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv. Any suggestion of regime-change tactics against Russia risks inflaming tensions further and complicating already fragile diplomatic efforts.
Those tensions were already elevated last week after the Kremlin claimed that Ukrainian forces carried out a drone strike targeting President Putin’s official residence in Russia’s Novgorod region. Moscow asserted it had evidence to support the claim.
However, U.S. intelligence officials, including the CIA, have reportedly assessed that the drone activity was not intended to strike Putin’s residence directly, casting doubt on the Kremlin’s narrative.
The capture of Maduro has also sparked broader international debate about the precedent such an operation could set. Some analysts have warned that it may encourage other powers to justify similar actions.
Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis offered a provocative take, suggesting that Putin might now be thinking, “Maybe I should arrest Zelensky too and hand him over to Russian justice?”
In stark contrast to Kyiv’s reaction, Moscow strongly condemned the overthrow of Maduro. Russian officials called on Washington to “reconsider their position and release the legitimately elected president of a sovereign country and his spouse.”
The Kremlin further insisted that any disputes between the United States and Venezuela should be resolved “through dialogue,” despite Russia’s own extensive use of military force in Ukraine.
Before his capture, Maduro had been one of Putin’s most vocal allies in Latin America and a fierce critic of Zelensky. During a March episode of his weekly television program With Maduro last year, the Venezuelan leader dismissed the Ukrainian president as a “clown.”
He went on to claim that Zelensky would eventually be abandoned by what he called “U.S. imperialism,” saying it was his “fate” for having sold his “soul to the devil” of America.
With Maduro now removed from power and facing prosecution in the United States, the geopolitical shockwaves continue to spread.
Zelensky’s remarks have added fuel to an already volatile global environment, raising questions about how far the U.S. and its allies are willing to go—and how Russia may respond—in an increasingly confrontational world order.
Source Breitbart
Original article
Comments