Overview
- President Donald Trump signaled a prolonged U.S. presence in Venezuela and touted control of the country’s oil revenues, claiming Caracas will use proceeds to buy only U.S.-made goods.
- The U.S. Justice Department said forces executed a court order to confiscate a Russian-flagged tanker in the North Atlantic carrying sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran, prompting a formal protest from Russia demanding humane treatment and the crew’s return.
- France, the UK and Ukraine signed a declaration in Paris providing a basis for foreign forces to help secure Ukraine after a ceasefire, with London and Paris discussing protected facilities on Ukrainian soil and Berlin weighing roles on NATO territory near the border.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said talks have reached a new stage and did not rule out ending the war in the first half of 2026, while territorial questions with Russia remain unresolved.
- Republican lawmakers publicly criticized talk of forcibly acquiring Greenland, warning such action would damage U.S. interests and strain the NATO alliance.