The European Union and its member states have issued varying responses to the U.S. military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. While a majority of leaders have called for a peaceful transition and adherence to international law, specific national stances have emerged, reflecting different diplomatic priorities and interpretations of the intervention’s legality.
The European Commission and European Council released statements emphasizing solidarity with the Venezuelan people. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated that any solution to the crisis must respect the UN Charter, while Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, affirmed the bloc’s support for an “inclusive resolution.” Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, confirmed she had spoken with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reiterating that while the EU views the Maduro administration as lacking legitimacy, “principles of international law must be respected” under all circumstances.
France and Italy offered contrasting assessments of the U.S. action. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot formally criticized the operation, stating that the use of force contravenes international legal principles and that a lasting political solution cannot be imposed from the outside. Conversely, the office of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the intervention as a “defensive” measure against “hybrid attacks” related to state-facilitated drug trafficking. Italy, which is home to approximately 160,000 dual nationals in Venezuela, had previously refused to recognize the results of the 2024 Venezuelan election.
In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Keir Starmer clarified that British forces were not involved in the strikes. He noted that the UK is currently working to “establish the facts” while maintaining its position that the Maduro government was illegitimate. Spain’s Foreign Ministry echoed calls for restraint and offered to provide mediation to achieve a negotiated resolution, citing the safety of the tens of thousands of Venezuelans currently residing in Spain.
The German Foreign Ministry has convened a crisis response team to monitor the safety of its citizens and embassy staff in Caracas. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry expressed support for the removal of the Maduro administration, characterizing it as a dictatorship that violated human rights. In several European capitals, including Paris and Athens, small-scale rallies were held by groups protesting the U.S. intervention as a violation of state sovereignty.
