ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela are “illegal,” but also have a “certain consistency,” Russian Security Council Deputy Chair Dmitry Medvedev said on Sunday.

In remarks to state news agency Tass, Medvedev, who also once served as Russia’s president, described the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores as a “clear violation of international law.”

“At the same time, it must be acknowledged that, despite the obvious illegality of Trump's behavior, he has a certain consistency. He and his team are very staunchly defending their country's national interests,” Medvedev said.

Citing Maduro’s accusation that Washington is seeking to gain control of the country's resources, including oil, Medvedev argued that Trump “doesn’t hide it” and that the US now has “nothing to reproach our country for, even formally,” evidently referring to the ongoing Ukraine war.

Medvedev's statements come after Venezuela said Saturday that the US had attacked civilian and military installations in multiple states in the country, and then declared ‌a national ‌emergency.

Trump later confirmed the "large scale" strike, and that Maduro and his wife had been captured and flown out of the country. He later said the US would "run" Venezuela until a safe transition is ensured, and fix its "broken" oil infrastructure.

Venezuela’s first couple were taken to a detention center in New York, and will appear in court over drug-trafficking charges.

The attacks came after months of growing US pressure on Maduro, who Washington accuses of being involved in drug trafficking. Maduro had denied the claims and expressed readiness for talks.