John Bickley

This is Evening Wire.

The seizure comes as President Trump has ramped up a pressure campaign targeting Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro.

Trump confirmed the news during a roundtable discussion on Wednesday afternoon.

Until Wednesday, the Trump administration's military efforts off the coast of Venezuela have been limited to destroying drug boats and submarines.

Wednesday's actions represent a significant escalation in the White House pressure campaign targeting Venezuela's state-owned oil industry and primary source of funding.

Most of Venezuela's oil is sold to China.

Chinese buyers are typically able to get Venezuelan oil at a discount because of the risk of running afoul of U.S.

sanctions.

The leader of Venezuela's opposition says the U.S.

helped her escape the country to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

After over a year in hiding, Maria Karina Machado arrived safely in Oslo, Norway.

While she just missed the award ceremony yesterday, she was greeted with cheers below her hotel balcony, including chants of libertad, the Spanish word for freedom.

Machado went underground following the latest presidential election when her endorsed candidate won, but Maduro declared himself the victor and remained in office.

She was awarded the Peace Prize for her work against the Maduro regime.

While Machado remained tight-lipped about the details of her escape, she credited the US government with, quote, support for her travel.

The Trump administration has not yet publicly commented on Machado's escape.

A U.S.

plan to rebuild Ukraine and reintegrate the economy of Russia has sparked backlash from European partners.

The plan, which is laid out in multiple documents sent to European allies, outlines a strategy to end the war in Ukraine and build partnerships that will hopefully build a lasting peace by ushering Russia back into the world economy.

U.S.