"Trump has transformed from a self-declared champion for peace into a believer in the use of force to reach his objectives and enhance his standing. Europe faces tough choices to defend its interests", writes @carlbildt. Read the full commentary:

Now the White House 🇺🇸 gets even more specific on its threats against 🇬🇱 🇩🇰. It now looks likely that we will see 🇺🇸 using raw power against 🇩🇰 within the next six months.

Jealously in Moscow after the 🇻🇪 operation - Trump and the 🇺🇸 can do what Putin and Gerasimov 🇷🇺 spectacularly failed to do.

Interesting with countries of Latin America divided on the 🇺🇸 operation against 🇻🇪.

Strong statement by the PM of 🇬🇱 - and there was also an equally clear statement the PM of 🇩🇰. When Trump 🇺🇸 brings up 🇬🇱 in the context of the 🇻🇪 operation there is certainly a need to react.

You can have global influence by alliances, friendship and soft power - but you can also seek it by sheer threats. Historically, the first way works better over time.

Now the previous VP Rodriguez has been formally installed as new President of 🇻🇪.

No confirmation yet that VP Rodríguez has been sworn as new President of 🇻🇪. According to Trump 🇺🇸 intends to run 🇻🇪 through her, retaining the essence of the regime structures. ”She will do what we say”. We will see. Will she hand over the oil industry to 🇺🇸? Will she throw out

This is significant. Deripaska is a very heavy 🇷🇺 business player, who while he’s unlikely to have been supportive of the Putin war so far has stayed loyal. Now it looks as if he’s slowly breaking away from the Kremlin.

The language in the 🇺🇸 National Security Strategy about priority for the Western hemisphere and a new version of the Monroe doctrine was obviously serious. Now Trump says that 🇺🇸 will run 🇻🇪 and have 🇺🇸 oil industry take over, threatens 🇲🇽 and brings 🇨🇺 in new focus. Is 🇬🇱 part

Calling the US strike on Venezuela the “first US military attack in Latin America since Panama in 1989” badly understates its significance. Latin America isn’t a single strategic space. What matters is this: it’s the first time the US has attacked South America. 🧵👇

Reaction in important countries lika 🇧🇷 and 🇲🇽 are strong. In the case of 🇲🇽 it’s also the threatening language Trump 🇺🇸 used against the country today.

I’m not certain it’s wise for the 🇺🇸 to now justify its Venezuela 🇻🇪 operation with saying that ”stolen oil must be returned to the United States”. That fuels the narrative of the remains of the regime in Caracas. The country has the world’s largest oil reserves.

In Europe 🇪🇺 Maduro has been shunned after so blatantly stealing the last election. The only exception is Hungary 🇭🇺 which developed good relations with him.

The 🇺🇸 operation against 🇻🇪 was officially to execute an arrest warrant against Maduro, and that succeeded. That’s a parallel to Noriega in 🇵🇦 in 1989. Few will cry for Maduro, but the legalities are another issue. And what will happen next in 🇻🇪?

In addition to air strikes there seems to be 🇺🇸 forces on the ground in Caracas 🇻🇪 judging by number of helicopters. What is lacking is an explanation from DC of the political aims. Is it just to get Maduro out, or is the aim a wider regime change? That will decide the next step.

I doubt Khalilzad went to Kabul 🇦🇫 without any contact with the 🇺🇸 administration. He was during the Trump first term the negotiator with the Talibans and concluded the agreement with them on 🇺🇸 withdrawal from 🇦🇫.

Significant 🇺🇸 military operation in 🇻🇪 capital Caracas - numerous special forces helicopters seen in the video - in combination with air strikes against several targets. Trump has decided to go to war.

It’s not unlikely that 🇮🇱 is trying to convince the 🇺🇸 of using the internal protests as a reason to attack regime targets in 🇮🇷. Results would be impossible to predict. It could in an extreme case chaos and regime collapse - but perhaps more likely it would result in regime

Street protests in Iran 🇮🇷 are getting serious, triggered by collapse of the currency and inflation, but also with political slogans in the traditionally important bazaar of Teheran.