Zelenski's joke after being asked by Maduro: “The Americans know what they have to do next” – VIDEO
Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump at the White House in February 2025. Photo: Edward Roth / Alamy / Profimedia
Asked about the US operation in Venezuela to capture autocratic leader Nicolas Maduro and bring him to US justice, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave an answer that drew laughter.
“What can I say here? If this can be done to dictators, then the United States of America knows what to do next,” Zelenski told reporters, smiling.
President Zelenskyy on Maduro:
What can I say here? If this can be done to dictators, like that, then the United States of America know what they should do next. pic.twitter.com/VmEuTwTBnB
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) January 3, 2026
Donald Trump announced on Saturday that US special forces had captured Nicolas Maduro in a “large-scale operation”. According to the American authorities, he would be tried in the USA for charges related to drug trafficking and terrorism.
CIA involvement in catching Maduro and bringing him to New York / It has been “wired” for a long time
Negotiations for peace in Ukraine have resumed
Ukraine's European allies met in Kiev on Saturday to review details of the latest version of the plan to end the conflict with Russia, ahead of a “Coalition of the Will” summit in France next week.
Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, participated remotely in this meeting, a Ukrainian official confirmed to AFP.
This day of diplomacy was overshadowed, however, by the surprise US military intervention in Venezuela.
Ukraine is hoping for a summit in the US this month
President Volodymyr Zelensky told a press conference on Saturday that Ukraine hopes to hold a summit of allied leaders in the United States by the end of January to discuss proposals on “how to end the war with Russia,” Reuters reports.
Zelensky said Ukraine and national security advisers from 18 countries discussed security guarantees, economic deals and plans for next steps in Kiev.
Next week, talks will continue at a meeting of European leaders in Paris, then with American negotiators.
“And after that… we will prepare for a meeting in the United States at the leadership level. We would like all this to happen in January, by the end of January,” Zelenskiy said.
“If Russia blocks all this, if our partners do not force Russia to end the war, there will be only one way: to defend ourselves,” Zelenskiy said.
