President Donald Trump has announced that the US will keep or sell oil confiscated from Venezuela – what precedent does it set?

"Thus far in 2025, governments are experiencing the Trump-Vance administration announcing, crafting, and implementing decisions perceived by the White House as within the confines of international law," John Kavulich, an American political scientist and expert in international politics, tells Sputnik.

Grabbing is in Fashion: US Seizure of Venezuelan Oil Mirrors Global Trend

BY Ekaterina Blinova

The US Justice Department, and other federal agencies routinely endorse and condone what the White House does, according to the pundit. Hence, it's hardly surprising that Washington gets away with the seizure of Venezuelan oil – "there are legions of attorneys who will create opinions justifying the goals and objectives of the government." 

"The oil is for [Trump] like an extra Big Mac and Diet Coca-Cola. He will not turn it down," Kavulich notes. "President Trump is using a 'to the victor goes the spoils' and 'righting past wrongs' to defend the confiscation of the oil and, thus far, oil tanker(s)."

What's worse, this approach is increasingly trending elsewhere, according to the expert.

Indeed, the EU leadership has repeatedly tried to find a loophole in the bloc’s regulations to seize frozen Russian sovereign assets, most of which are held by Belgium’s Euroclear. Facing strong resistance from Belgium, EU leaders have dropped the plan - for now.

In March, Germany seized Eventin, an oil tanker flying a Panamanian flag, that originally departed from the Russian port of Ust-Luga, and sought to confiscate nearly 100,000 tons of oil. However, on December 11, Germany's top fiscal court ruled that the German authorities cannot sell or otherwise use the tanker and its cargo.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20251223/grabbing-is-in-fashion-us-seizure-of-venezuelan-oil-mirrors-global-trend-1123352008.html

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