Western Balkan countries have expressed mixed reactions to the United States' attack on Venezuela on Saturday, which preceded the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his transfer to detention in New York.
US President Donald Trump announced that the United States will "govern" Venezuela until a "proper transition of power" and will exploit its vast oil reserves, following the overthrow of Maduro.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe (far left), US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Florida watch a remote broadcast of the US military's mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3, 2026.
Maduro was taken to a detention center in New York on Sunday, and is expected to appear in court later this week to face charges of drug and weapons offenses.
Before the attack, the United States had repeatedly accused Maduro of running a "narco-state" and of manipulating the electoral process.
Below you can read the reactions of countries from the Western Balkans.
Chuang
Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani wrote on X that Kosovo stands strongly alongside the United States and President Trump in support of his actions against Venezuela's "narco-terrorist regime."
"President Trump stood by the people of Venezuela and opposed Maduro's narco-state, protecting America and the rest of the world from cartels and organized crime," Osmani wrote on Saturday.
The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, and the acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti.
Meanwhile, the acting Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, said that Kosovo supports the United States' anti-narcotics operation in Venezuela.
"Holding state actors involved in drug trafficking accountable is essential for success in the fight against this phenomenon," Kurti wrote on Facebook on Saturday.
Albania
Albania's Minister for European Affairs, Elisa Spiropali, wrote on X on Saturday that Albania stands unequivocally alongside the United States and Trump in their "decisive actions against Venezuela's narcoterrorist regime."
"We support the strong leadership of Secretary of State Marco Rubio in confronting authoritarianism, corruption, and transnational criminal networks. The Venezuelan people have an indisputable right to freedom, democracy, and the rule of law, and the international community must not remain silent in the face of oppression and fear," she added.
North Macedonia
Timco Mucunsk, North Macedonia's foreign minister, said that Skopje "welcomes" Trump's announcement that Maduro has been arrested and will face justice.
"I also commend Secretary of State [Marco] Rubio for his leadership in confronting the Maduro regime's narco-criminal networks. Accountability matters. We stand with the United States and the Venezuelan people for freedom and democracy," Mucunski wrote on X on Saturday.
Serbia
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has criticized the capture of his ally Maduro, saying that "it is clear" that the international legal order and the UN Charter "do not work."
Vučić said that Serbia "wants friendship with the US, but it is our duty to say when there is a violation of international law."
Vučić says the international legal order “clearly does not work” after the US capture of Maduro. “In the world today, the law of force prevails, the law of the strong. This is the only principle of contemporary politics that exists in the world today,” Vučić told the media on Sunday in Belgrade, after a meeting of Serbia’s National Security Council.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Bosnian Foreign Ministry on Sunday called on "all actors to act rationally, responsibly and with restraint, in order to prevent further escalation and suffering."
"We express our support for the people of Venezuela and for stability in the country and the wider region," the Ministry said in X.
"Nicolas Maduro is a dictator who has ruled through fear, the use of force, the military and police, complete control of the media and other repressive instruments. His hold on power has not been based on free and fair elections, but on electoral fraud and manipulation, as well as the systematic suppression of political opponents and student activism through arrests, intimidation and threats."
"All political dictators behave similarly and use the same repressive methods, including those from our political reality in this part of the world. The United States is the most important strategic partner and friend of Bosnia and Herzegovina."
Croatia
Croatia's Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that it was closely following the situation in Venezuela in coordination with partners in the European Union.
"We will be committed to ensuring that the fight against illegal international activities is conducted in accordance with international rules and fundamental principles, as well as with the protection of the civilian population. We pay particular attention to the safety and well-being of Croatian citizens residing in Venezuela, as well as Croatian emigrants in that country," she wrote.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, accompanied by his wife Cilia Flores and the president of the National Constituent Assembly, Delcy Rodriguez, in Caracas, Venezuela, May 2018.
"Nicolas Maduro's regime lacks the legitimacy that stems from democratically held elections. Deep internal political divisions, as well as the international community's differing approaches to the authorities in Caracas, have further complicated the already complex situation in the country."
"The situation in Venezuela has for many years been characterized by a deep political, economic and institutional crisis, which has manifested itself through the severely impaired functioning of state institutions, economic decline, human rights violations and a serious humanitarian crisis that has prompted massive population migrations."
Montenegro
Montenegro has not reacted so far./REL
