Sunday, January 11, 2026- When the United States launched its bold military operation to capture Venezuela’s president and challenge Russian influence in the country, global attention was on how Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, would respond. Despite being a key ally of Nicolás Maduro and traditionally vocal against U.S. intervention, Putin chose not to publicly confront or escalate against President Trump’s actions.
Analysts say this silence reflects a deliberate strategy by Moscow to avoid antagonizing Washington while it focuses on its primary geopolitical priority securing a favorable outcome in the ongoing war in Ukraine. Russia’s resources and diplomatic bandwidth are heavily tied up in that conflict, and provoking a direct confrontation with the United States over Venezuela could jeopardize critical negotiations and Russia’s broader interests.
Experts also note that Russia’s global influence has been weakened by its prolonged war in Ukraine and recent setbacks in places like Syria. This diminished capability limits Moscow’s ability to project power in distant regions such as Latin America, making loud opposition less feasible.
Even though Russia quietly condemned the U.S. action and labeled it a breach of international norms through foreign ministry statements, Putin personally avoided high-profile criticism or threats. That restraint suggests Moscow sees avoiding a clash with Washington as more valuable than escalating over Venezuela, especially when core Russian interests elsewhere take precedence.
Finally, analysts point out the nuclear dimension of U.S.–Russia relations. Directly confronting the United States over Venezuela far from Russia’s borders and security interests could risk broader geopolitical tensions with a nuclear peer. With the Kremlin already under significant pressure globally and domestically, Putin appears to be choosing caution over confrontation, keeping his focus on matters where he believes Russia has the most strategic leverage.
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