Why the Kremlin is keeping quiet after Maduro's ouster

Nicolas Maduro showered Vladimir Putin with praise during his visit to Moscow on Victory Day in May 2025. The Venezuelan leader described Russia as "a key power of humanity" and the two heads of state signed a cooperation agreement.

But on January 3, Russia stood back and watched as the US forcibly brought Maduro and his wife to New York, where they are being tried for drug trafficking.

"Russia's support for Venezuela has been more symbolic than practical," Neil Melvin, an expert at the Royal United Services Institute, told DW. A key explanation for Putin's silence is Russia's war against Ukraine and the US's shift from being Kyiv's partner to acting as a mediator in talks. Russia is keen to avoid harsh criticism of Washington because it does not want to cause offense, according to Melvin.

German political scientist Felix Riefer is convinced that Moscow's reputation in the world has been weakened: "Those who rely on Russia cannot hope to be protected."

Neil Melvin, meanwhile, emphasized that this is not the first time that Putin has let an ally go. "Russia has lost Armenia, Syria, and now Venezuela," said the security expert. "Russia's international position is weakening noticeably as it escalates its war against Ukraine and lacks the resources to maintain such relationships."

Why the Kremlin is keeping quiet after Maduro's ouster

In the case of Cuba, Russia's most important partner in Latin America and one of Venezuela's closest allies, Moscow's protests may be louder, Melvin says, but Russia's options are ultimately "very limited."