BRUSSELS: The European Union (EU) called for “restraint” and respect for international law in Venezuela on Saturday (Jan 3) after President Donald Trump announced US forces had captured leader Nicolas Maduro in a large-scale assault.

“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.

“Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint,” she wrote.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa echoed the message.

“We stand by the people of Venezuela and support a peaceful and democratic transition. Any solution must respect international law and the UN Charter,” von der Leyen said on social media.

Costa said he was following developments in Venezuela “with great concern”, adding that “the EU calls for de-escalation”.

Kallas said the EU was closely monitoring the fast-moving situation and that she had spoken to the bloc’s envoy to Venezuela, with the safety of EU citizens “our top priority”.

The EU has not recognised the results of the disputed 2024 election that handed Maduro a third term in power, and has slapped sanctions on dozens of Venezuelan officials for undermining democracy in the country.

The 27-nation bloc has stopped short, however, of formally recognising opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as Venezuela’s rightful leader, as the US has done. 

France separately said the operation undermined international law and no solution to Venezuela’s crisis can be imposed from the outside, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged patience in order to “establish the facts”.

But in a rare expression of support for the US operation by a major European country, far-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni – a Trump ally – argued the US military action in Venezuela was “legitimate” and “defensive”.

Israel also hailed the operation, saying Washington acted as the “leader of the free world”.

Ukraine – dependent on US support in its war against invading Russia – did not address the legality of a big country like America using military force against a much smaller one like Venezuela.