According to local journalist Javier Mayorca, two Russian air force planes landed in Venezuela yesterday. The two planes reportedly contained “nearly 100” troops, a “Russian defense official,” and “35 tonnes of material.”

These Russian reinforcements come amid escalating tensions between Venezuelan and the United States. Though this initial batch of aid isn’t sufficient to tip the balance of power between the U.S. and Venezuela, it sends a signal to President Trump that invading would mean engaging in a proxy war with Russia.

This puts the U.S. between a rock and a hard place, as practically federal all elected officials from Speaker Pelosi to President Trump have recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the Interim President of Venezuela.

The 5,000 troops John Bolton appeared to consider sending to Colombia would be no match for a 2 million strong volunteer militia of Chavistas decked out with Russia’s latest defense technology.

It’s clear that any attempt to invade Venezuela or depose Maduro would be the most disastrous military intervention by the U.S. since Vietnam, with immense casualties on both sides.

Hopefully those around Trump are able to explain why invading Venezuela would be a catastrophe — he made it clear where he stands when he asked intelligence officials why we’re not already at war because “they have all that oil and they’re right on our back door.”

However, when you consider the rocky beginning from which Trump’s bromance with Kim Jong-un blossomed, it’s not hard to imagine him pretending Juan Guaidó never existed and holding a summit with Maduro in Mexico a year from now.

For the sake of those in Venezuela whose lives hang in the balance of Trump’s decision, I hope that he and Maduro choose to put their differences aside, make nice, and forge a diplomatic path forward that includes easing of sanctions.