Meeting in an extraordinary online session of the PES Foreign Policy Network, the Party of European Socialists (PES) brought together progressive leaders, parliamentarians, and international partners as the seriousness of current events demands a clear and united political response.
The meeting placed particular emphasis on Denmark, with a contribution from Danish Member of Parliament Flemming Møller Mortensen of SD Denmark, amid concerns over unprecedented threats to Greenland and the territorial integrity of a Member State of the European Union.
Participants strongly condemned the United States’ military intervention in Venezuela, carried out without a United Nations mandate. While Nicolás Maduro’s regime has committed grave human rights abuses and lacks democratic legitimacy, unilateral military action cannot be justified under international law and constitutes a clear violation of the UN Charter and the foundations of the post-war international order.
Stefan Löfven, President of the PES, stated:
“The United States’ military intervention in Venezuela, undertaken without a UN mandate, violates the UN Charter and the foundations of the post-war international order.
Recent statements by President Trump, including threats toward Greenland, confirm that this is part of a broader strategic shift. Today, the territorial integrity of Denmark, a Member State of the European Union and of NATO, is being openly challenged by a long-standing ally.
In this context, the European Union must now decide what role it intends to play in a world where multilateralism can no longer be taken for granted. The EU was built on the rejection of unilateralism and power politics, and it must be ready to defend those principles with unity, resolve, and the full use of its political and diplomatic instruments.”
The discussion made clear that Venezuela cannot be seen in isolation. Participants pointed to a transactional approach to foreign policy that treats sovereignty as negotiable and steadily weakens multilateralism, further exacerbated by the United States’ withdrawal from international agreements.
Participants also expressed solidarity with democratic governments in Latin America — including Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia — that are currently under mounting pressure amid growing unilateral power politics in the region.
This same logic was identified in Ukraine and in the Middle East, where sovereignty is increasingly treated as negotiable and international rules are sidelined, with severe consequences for peace, stability, and international responsibility, including for the legitimate rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people and of people across the region, such as in Iran.
Kati Piri, Chair of the PES Foreign Policy Network and PES Vice President, said:
“The situation we are facing goes beyond one country or one territory. It touches on international security, the evolving role of the United States in global affairs, threats to multilateralism, and the implications for Europe as a whole.
Denmark and Greenland stand united in rejecting any attempt to question their sovereignty. At this moment, solidarity across Europe and with our partners is essential, as the European Union reflects on the strategic choices it must make to defend international law and the principles of the UN Charter.”
The PES reaffirmed that sustainable solutions to international crises — in Venezuela, Ukraine, and the Middle East, including Iran — as well as the protection of sovereignty and territorial integrity, including in Greenland, can only be achieved through democratic, inclusive political processes and full respect for international law and the fundamental rights and freedoms of people across the region.
At a time when multilateralism can no longer be taken for granted, the European Union faces a clear choice. It must be united and firm, and step up its international presence as a credible global actor.
