Trump’s actions mark revival of concepts of empires and spheres of influence

In private, most European leaders agree that the US intervention with its summary arrest and exfiltration of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, and their transfer to US jurisdiction, broke all the established rules of international law.

- Jonathan Eyal Global Affairs Correspondent

But officially, the European Union's response has been measured, expressing broad regret at the alleged breaches of international law but not insisting that the US must reverse its deeds or explain its position.

“The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition” in Venezuela, the bloc’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas wrote on X after speaking with her US counterpart Marco Rubio on Jan 3.

“Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected,” she added, referring to the United Nations.

“All countries should uphold international law,” added British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in what must surely rank as one of the most anodyne of all public statements.

And even the French, who are traditionally more forthright in responding to US actions, were restrained. In postings on social media, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot expressed his general unhappiness with “the increasing violations” of international law principles by permanent UN Security Council members, warning that these “will have serious consequences for global security, sparing no one”.

Unexpectedly, the harshest criticism of the US action came from Ms Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally, France’s far-right political movement, considered by many in the US administration as its closest European soulmates.

Notwithstanding Ms Le Pen’s admiration for US President Donald Trump, she issued a sharply worded statement claiming that “the sovereignty of states is never negotiable”. If the US sacrifices Venezuela’s sovereignty today, Ms Le Pen warned, this would amount to “accepting the servitude of any other state tomorrow”.