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Foreign Affairs
Related: About this forumZelensky Finally Found a Way to Pressure Putin. - The Russian Dude
The dramatic U.S. operation in Venezuela didnt just remove Nicolás Maduro it detonated a geopolitical shockwave that immediately reached Moscow, Kyiv, and Washington. As American forces acted decisively, the Kremlin rushed to push a familiar narrative through Russian state media: Donald Trump didnt intervene for democracy or human rights, but to seize Venezuelan oil. That storyline is now spreading fast across Russian propaganda channels, reinforcing Putins long-standing message that the West is no different from Russia, just more open about its greed. But behind this noise lies something far more dangerous for the Kremlin. The Venezuela crisis revived an old, cynical idea Moscow floated years ago the unspoken swap of Venezuela for Ukraine, a spheres-of-influence deal exposed in 2019 by Trumps former adviser Fiona Hill. While never formalized, the logic was clear: you stay out of Ukraine, we stay out of Venezuela.
Fast-forward to today, and that thinking suddenly feels alarmingly relevant. As the U.S. asserts power openly, Russia sees precedent and opportunity. But Ukraine is not just watching this unfold. Volodymyr Zelensky made comments that sounded like a joke at first, then quickly turned chillingly serious. He openly questioned why dictators are removed selectively, forcing the world to confront an uncomfortable truth about power, will, and double standards. While Putin himself remains untouchable, Zelensky hinted at a far more realistic pressure point: Ramzan Kadyrov. The Chechen leader is not just a regional strongman but a central pillar of Putins internal stability. His rule is built on fear, personal loyalty, and violence not institutions.
Targeting Kadyrov, Zelensky implied, could create massive instability inside Russia, far more effectively than symbolic pressure on Putin himself. Chechnyas collapse would trigger a domino effect across other restless regions, forcing the Kremlin to turn inward at the worst possible moment. This is why Kadyrov may now be in grave danger, and why pressure on Putin is quietly escalating. Venezuela was never just about Latin America it became a test case, a precedent, and a warning. And Zelensky just showed he understands exactly where Russias real weaknesses lie.
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Zelensky Finally Found a Way to Pressure Putin. - The Russian Dude (Original Post)
TexasTowelie
22 hrs ago
OP
in2herbs
(4,238 posts)1. Russia is not worried about the US taking the oil because Russia and China have contracts with VZ to
buy VZ oil and these contracts survive any regime change F45 tries.
multigraincracker
(36,988 posts)2. Wait until Russia runs out of vodka and potatoes. He is toast.