The initial European reaction to Donald Trump's illegal military intervention in Venezuela has been widely condemned as both weak and short-lived. On Sunday, 4 January, European Union member states pointedly refused to condemn the attack as a breach of international law, instead issuing a hopeful plea for a "negotiated, democratic, inclusive and peaceful solution." This feeble stance was immediately undermined by President Trump's blunt declaration to reporters that same day: "We're in charge."
A Dangerous New World Order Emerges
President Trump's actions in Venezuela, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, represent a stark exercise of raw power. The operation saw the seizure of Nicolás Maduro and aimed to dominate a sovereign nation and control its future oil production. The US President has since repeated threats of further military action should the remaining regime fail to comply with Washington's demands. Notably, the will of the Venezuelan people, including Nobel prize-winning opposition figure María Corina Machado, has been marginalised from the outset.
Faced with such nakedly imperialist ambitions and a brazen contempt for the rules-based international order, political leaders in Europe are being urged to find their voice. Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, has faced particular scrutiny for his evasions on the matter during an interview with Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC's Sunday political show. French President Emmanuel Macron, after initially focusing on the need for a democratic transition, later stated he "neither supported nor approved" the manner of Maduro's removal. Sir Keir is being pressed to make a similarly clear statement.
The Urgent Need for a Coherent European Stance
The reluctance of European governments to criticise President Trump is partly strategic, driven by a desire to keep the US onside during a crucial period for Ukraine. The fear is that without meaningful White House security guarantees for Kyiv, Vladimir Putin's revanchist ambitions would be significantly strengthened. However, this caution is creating a dangerous vacuum. As Labour's Emily Thornberry, chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, warned, unchecked "America first" expansionism is becoming a geopolitical menace that will embolden other global bullies to trash international norms.
European governments must now urgently plan for a world where the traditional concept of "the West" is obsolete. This involves two critical steps: robustly pushing back against the subjugation of international law to superpower whims, and rapidly developing sufficient hard power to exert their own influence. The seriousness of this new reality was underscored by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's statement that the US's renewed claims on autonomous Greenland must be taken seriously—a jaw-dropping admission of vulnerability from a NATO ally.
Building Capacity to Defend European Values
The regime change in Caracas followed the publication of a bellicose US national security strategy pledging to "restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere." With Colombia, Cuba, and now a NATO ally put on notice, a dangerous new world order is forming at pace. Within it, Europe can no longer afford timid diplomacy. Its leaders, including Sir Keir Starmer, must unequivocally speak up for the rule of law and democratic values, while simultaneously building the tangible capacity to defend European interests. The alternative is a return to a might-makes-right global system, with devastating consequences for international stability.
