Senior diplomats: US Venezuela raid sets dangerous precedent for Turkey

WISE NEWS PRESS / ANKARA, TURKEY — JAN. 4, 2026

Prominent retired Turkish ambassadors Onur Öymen and Tugay Uluçevik have criticized the recent United States military operation in Venezuela, warning that the move violates international law and establishes a concerning precedent that could impact Turkey’s national interests.

Speaking to Yeniçağ following the US raid in Caracas and the reported capture of President Nicolas Maduro, the veteran diplomats argued that the "force-based" policies currently being employed by global superpowers pose a risk to the entire international system.

Collapse of the international order

Retired Ambassador Onur Öymen attributed the harsh US policy to the deadlock of the international system established after World War II. He noted that superpowers are now reshaping countries to fit their own interests, drawing a parallel between US actions and Russian expansionism.

"Today, both the US and Russia apply this policy according to their own interests. While the US wants to incorporate Canada and Greenland, Russia annexes Crimea and demands territory from Ukraine," Öymen said. "If their demands are not met, superpowers resort to de facto occupation. This is unacceptable."

Concerns for Cyprus and regional stability

Öymen emphasized that Washington's disregard for international norms is particularly worrying for Turkey. He raised concerns that this unilateral approach could eventually be applied to disputes critical to Ankara, such as the Cyprus issue.

"This attitude of the US is problematic for the whole world as well as for Turkey. It is an attitude that will worry Turkey," Öymen warned. "We do not know if the US will display the same attitude in the context of Turkey's regional problems. For example, would they want to solve the Cyprus issue in this way? What happens if they adopt an attitude of 'only what I say goes' and display an approach contrary to Turkey's national interests? These questions are certainly cause for concern."

'Trump ignores the UN'

Retired Ambassador Tugay Uluçevik focused on the legal aspects, stating that US President Donald Trump effectively ignores the United Nations Charter. He argued that the intervention in Venezuela contradicts all principles of international relations.

"Whatever Trump likes comes to life; what he doesn't like does not. Trump does not recognize the UN law," Uluçevik stated. He contrasted the current operation with the 2003 invasion of Iraq, noting that while the US previously attempted to provide justifications regarding weapons of mass destruction, the Venezuela operation was launched without a prior legal basis presented to the UN.

Uluçevik concluded by noting that if there were genuine proof of narco-terrorism affecting US national order, evidence should have been presented to the UN Security Council for a collective decision, rather than unilateral military action.

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