In a report, Morgan Stanley analysts noted that U.S. military operations in Venezuela could reinforce the need for Europe to assume greater responsibility for its own security and prompt it to increase defense spending.The analysts stated that this intervention indicates the Donald Trump administration’s focus has shifted toward matters closer to home, which supports Morgan Stanley’s “overweight” rating on the European defense sector.The report noted that while U.S. defense stocks have largely priced in recent conflicts in the Caribbean, the ousting of Maduro signals a potential major escalation of the situation.As of Monday, U.S. defense stocks had not yet fully priced in the risk of further deterioration in the situation in Venezuela. Driven by this expectation, European defense giants rallied collectively: Rheinmetall rose 7.3%, Leonardo rose 6.25%, BAE Systems rose 5%, and Thales rose 4.8%.