Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly said that President Donald Trump is seeking a peaceful transfer of the island from Denmark | Secretary of State Marco Rubio told US lawmakers that President Donald Trump wants to buy Greenland from Denmark rather than take the Arctic island by military means, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. ● Rubio reportedly made the remarks during a briefing after top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer asked whether Trump was planning to use the military in places like Greenland and Mexico. ● Trump, who initially voiced his intent to acquire Greenland during his first term in office, has linked ownership of the strategically located island to national security and competition with Russian and Chinese navies. [...] European NATO members released a statement on Tuesday backing Denmark and affirming Greenland as its self-governing territory. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stressed that no NATO member “should attack or threaten” another member, and that an armed conflict between the US and Denmark would render the alliance pointless.

■ Europe issues statement on Trump’s Greenland claim (RT)
■ Macron, Starmer, Meloni, and Tusk issue a joint statement on Greenland (governo.it)

Moon of Alabama | International law, developed over centuries, has been broken by the U.S. and other imperial forces ever since it was established. | He does not even try to justify his illegal attack on Venezuela with any propaganda. There is no talk of imposing democracy or any other moral justification. It is pure grab of oil – mafia style – with not a damn given about the consequences or how it looks. The indictment of Maduro is just laughable. It is not a legal case any sane jurist would bring. The European wimps have failed to condemn this. That will correctly be interpreted as them being weak which, in consequence, will put them next on the menu. They could send troops to protect Greenland from a U.S. invasion. They won’t. Trump will take it without hesitation. The total lack of moral justification and propaganda to hide blatant breaches of international law has two dangerous consequences.

The United States is demanding that the Venezuelan government renounce cooperation with Russia, China, Iran, and Cuba, the ABC News broadcaster reported, citing sources. | The Trump administration has reportedly told Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez that Caracas must meet White House demands before being allowed to pump more oil, ABC News reported, citing three people familiar with the plan.

■ Trump Declares He Is in Charge of Venezuela's Future (Sputnik)
■ Venezuela to ‘Turn Over’ 30–50 Million Barrels of Oil to US — Trump (Sputnik)
■ Trump dijo que Venezuela entregará entre 30 y 50 millones de barriles de petróleo a EE UU (El Diario)
■ Venezuela Has Vast Oil Reserves in the Orinoco Belt (Lord of War)(Telegram)
■ Beijing strongly condemns Washington's attempts to force Venezuela to sever ties with China and Russia (TASS/Telegram)

Russia welcomes the efforts undertaken by the Venezuelan government to protect state sovereignty and national interests, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. | At the same time, the ministry wished success to interim President of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez in addressing the tasks which the country faces. The ministry also expressed support for de-escalating the crisis in Venezuela and resolving issues by dialogue, and respect for international legal norms, above all, the UN Charter.

🚩 Delcy Rodríguez Sworn in as Venezuela’s Acting President Following US Military Aggression (Orinoco Tribune)
■ Delcy Rodríguez advierte a quienes la "amenacen": "Mi destino no lo decide sino Dios" (El Nacional)
■ EU doesn’t recognize legitimacy of Venezuelan interim president — European Commission (TASS)
💬 Jeffrey D. Sachs: My Briefing to the UN Security Council Regarding US Aggression Against Venezuela (Common Dreams)
💬 US pursues reckless foreign policy - Mearsheimer on Trump's Venezuela grab (Geopolitics Prime)(VIDEO)

Andrew Korybko | Cuban interests would be harmed the most if the US coerces Venezuela to sever economic ties, however, since the sanctions-beleaguered island nation is dependent on its partner’s subsidized oil. | And finally, newly proxy-controlled Venezuela might allow US experts to inspect its estimated $20 billion Soviet/Russian arsenal to discover all of its equipment’s secrets, and some of these arms might even ultimately be sent to Ukraine too. One possibility is the US making this de facto partial demilitarization part of a phased sanctions relief plan for Venezuela. Like with Cuba’s worst-case scenario vis-à-vis Venezuela, it’s also difficult to imagine how Russia could avoid this, so it too might be a fait accompli.