(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Tuesday that the United States would be more effective if it concentrated on Belgium, recently labeled an emerging “narco-state” by one of its own judges, rather than targeting small boats near Venezuela.

During a press briefing, Lavrov criticized the aerial maritime strikes approved by the administration of US President Donald Trump, which Washington claims are intended to combat drug traffickers in the Caribbean. He described these attacks as “acts taken without due process” and said they reveal how the US “places itself above the law.”

Lavrov added, “Rather than targeting Nigeria and Venezuela with anti-drug operations and [potential] seizures of oil fields, the US should probably focus on eradicating this social ill in Belgium. The US already has troops there and will not have to chase after small boats with crews of three people each.”

He was referencing a recent warning from a Belgian judge who told parliament that “mafia-like structures have taken root” in the nation and that it is not an exaggeration to say “are we evolving into a narco-state.”

While emphasizing that Moscow regards Venezuela as a friendly country, Lavrov noted that Russia has no intention of sending military forces there.

The United States, meanwhile, maintains that its operations target “narcoterrorism” and assert legal authority under congressional counterterrorism powers. President Trump has defended the strikes as part of a broader initiative to reduce the flow of fentanyl into the country.

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