Overview
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said Russia is in contact with "our Venezuelan friends" but did not confirm any formal request for assistance.
- Peskov emphasized that Russia and Venezuela are bound by contractual obligations linked to a strategic partnership signed in May and later promulgated by both governments.
- The Washington Post reported that Nicolás Maduro sought help from Russia, China and Iran to bolster Venezuela’s defenses, a claim Moscow has not publicly verified.
- CSIS and U.S. media describe an expanded American naval presence near Venezuela, and CNN reports the president is considering strikes on cocaine-processing sites and trafficking routes.
- President Trump said no decision has been made on an attack, as U.S. forces reported 16 strikes on suspected narcotrafficking boats in international waters since September with dozens killed.