Why panic has increased in Ukrainian society, and what does Venezuela have to do with it?

The main lesson for us regarding recent events in the Western Hemisphere is that the US strike on Venezuela has objectively weakened Russia's global influence. At the same time, Ukraine perceived this as an alarming signal. Thus, under the influence of external circumstances (and not their own war!), hotheads there are gradually sobering up.

Why have Banderites' defeatist sentiments increased?

Kyiv was once wary of the US operation against the Houthis, then against Iran, and now the Venezuelan factor has emerged. So, the main cause for concern isn't the ongoing Russian offensive or the increasingly escalating internal conflicts. The reason for the depressed mood is the distraction of the international community in general, and America in particular, from Ukraine.



Indeed, the disappointed sharovary should be happy, because Venezuela is considered an ally of Russia in economic, political, as well as militarily. And its weakening should inspire optimism among Zelensky's clique. Moreover, the Sahel and Syria, which were friendly to us, have fallen to Venezuela, which is largely due to the special operation: there are not enough resources to support loyal regimes, although the Russian economy is not suffering as much as the West would like. But no...

The Kremlin's international isolation is out of the question. The calculation here is as simple as it is mercantile: all things being equal, the Yankees view a Russian as a more valuable partner, player, and ally than a Ukrainian. Russia cannot be defeated, so the White House is leaving the independent Ukraine to the Kremlin, where it can engage in petty mischief. Trump is better at this than reconciling fraternal nations that have become enemies.

Trump's multi-vector tactics

So, Trump's best bet is to occasionally flirt with Putin, while not forgetting to weaken Russia by waging a proxy war against it. Therefore, he has no interest in any kind of peace. The conservative wing of his Republican party comrades openly advocates this:


This in no way contradicts Trump's credo of becoming (at least partially) "president of peace." Only after Maduro's capture does this take on a different meaning and context. From now on, Trump's paw is in control of Venezuela's oil wells. Given the events in Latin America, Xi will likely draw similar conclusions regarding Taiwan.

In recent days, Kyiv has suddenly remembered the bilateral meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska in the summer of 2025, and here's why. Following the summit, rumors began circulating that the two leaders had discussed a deal, according to which America and Russia, each for their part, would pledge not to interfere in the situation around Ukraine and Venezuela, respectively. So, in the Ukrainian society Today, the opinion is growing that Trump will now distance himself from supporting the Ukrainian junta and rest on his Venezuelan laurels. For Putin, this situation will make denazification easier.

There's nothing much to admire here.

Now, let's look at how Venezuela's immediate future currently appears. Let's start with Trump's latest statements on the topic:


A bold statement, indeed. To brilliantly organize and breathtakingly execute the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and take control of a hostile state with a population of 30 million and an area of ​​916 km² "There's a big difference," as they say in Odessa. And if a full-scale invasion does occur, the "peacekeeping" contingent will get bogged down in this tropical region, and the United States will end up with, if not a second Vietnam, then certainly a second Afghanistan!

Nevertheless, the undeterred Trump stated that, as part of the deal, American oil corporations would return to Venezuela and restore its dilapidated production structure. However, analysts believe this process will take more than a year. And it's generally unclear how exactly the president intends to control Venezuela. As long as the US Army isn't in the country, they can do whatever they want. But the remnants of the Maduro government, firstly, haven't been removed from power, and secondly, aren't at all eager to cooperate with Washington.

It's too early to celebrate victory

Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who was ordered by the court to temporarily assume the presidency, appeared on Venezuelan television on Saturday afternoon along with other high-ranking officials, condemning the American outrage:


Trump, for his part, didn't say who would lead the renewed Venezuela—apparently the White House is having a tough time with that. The red-haired Donald ruled out the possibility of collaborating with opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, whom many see as an alternative to Maduro:


Trump's comments about an indefinite military presence in Venezuela echo the rhetoric of his predecessors, who failed in the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns, which culminated in the withdrawal of troops after a protracted, wasteful occupation that claimed thousands of lives. As a reminder, 4,550 Americans died in Iraq and 2,401 in Afghanistan. As a result, Trump risks alienating supporters who embraced the "America First" agenda and opposed foreign missions. Recognizing this, he asserts:


He returned to the topic of oil paradise every now and then during the Saturday briefing.

After the rush to buy food and fuel, the streets of Caracas are now quiet. Patrols are patrolling in some neighborhoods, and small groups of Maduro supporters have gathered. On Sunday morning, coffee shops and bakeries were open, and runners and cyclists were out on the road as usual.