IRIA News

The leaders of Poland and NATO said that there was no indication that the missile strike in Poland was the result of a deliberate attack or that Russia is preparing offensive military actions against NATO.

They also said that the initial investigation suggests that the missile strike that killed two people in Polish territory was likely caused by a Ukrainian air defense missile fired to defend its territory against Russian cruise missile attacks. But “This is not Ukraine’s fault. Russia bears ultimate responsibility as it continues its illegal war against Ukraine,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels.

Polish President Andrzej Duda also said there was no evidence that a missile strike on his country that killed two local workers on November 15 was fired intentionally. “There is no indication that this was an intentional attack on Poland,” he said before an emergency meeting of Poland’s National Security Council on Wednesday.

During a joint news conference with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, the country’s president said it was “highly probable” that it was an S-300 rocket made in the Soviet Union that had been likely fired by the Ukrainian forces defending their country against a barrage of Russian strikes.

The Polish foreign ministry also summoned the Russian ambassador and demanded an immediate and detailed explanation.

“Although we do not know the exact causes of the tragedy in Przewodów, we do know the primary cause – Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,” Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki told parliament in Warsaw. “This tragedy would not have happened if Russia had not launched a massive missile attack on Ukraine yesterday,” he added.

Morawiecki told lawmakers that Poland was safe amid Russia’s war in neighboring Ukraine. “We have very strong external support. The most powerful military alliance in history stands behind us: NATO,” he said, adding that leaders from many countries have declared their full support for Poland. Warsaw also ramped up diplomatic efforts to bring more support to Ukraine.

NATO allies address the missile strike

In Brussels, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ambassadors held an emergency meeting to discuss the missile incident and to coordinate the alliance’s next moves. Poland’s permanent representative to EU Ambassador Andrzej Sadoś said that “Russia bears direct responsibility for yesterday’s tragedy, for the death of two Polish citizens.”

NATO allies offered their deepest condolences on the tragic loss of life and expressed solidarity with Poland while pledging support for Ukraine in its right to self-defense. Stoltenberg also said there were no signs that Russia was planning to attack NATO countries, in comments apparently intended to defuse tensions. “NATO stands united and we will always do what is necessary to protect and defend all Allies,” he added.

A deliberate, hostile attack on NATO member Poland could trigger a collective military response by the alliance. But the circumstances surrounding the incident suggest that an invocation of Article 5 is unlikely. Both Poland and NATO officials have said the missile explosion was accidental. Polish and other Western media are also reporting that the explosions might have been caused by the remains of a Russian missile intercepted by Ukrainian forces. Besides, NATO members have no interest in escalating the current war into a conflict between NATO and Russia.

G20 leaders denounce Russian aggression

The attack, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced as “a very significant escalation,” prompted an emergency meeting of G7 and NATO leaders. Russia has denied involvement in the missile incident.

The news of the incident overnight led to a flurry of meetings in Indonesia, where U.S. President Joe Biden convened an emergency meeting with some world leaders to discuss the matter on the sidelines of the G20 summit. Leaders from NATO members Germany, Canada, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, France, and UK took part in the meeting, as well as non-NATO member Japan.

NATO and the Group of Seven (G7) leaders in a joint statement declared their support for the Ukrainian people and condemned “barbaric missile attacks” by Russia on Ukraine. The statement extended condolences to the families of the victims in Poland and Ukraine. 

“We discussed the explosion that took place in the eastern part of Poland near the border with Ukraine. We offer our full support for and assistance with Poland’s ongoing investigation. We agree to remain in close touch to determine the appropriate next steps as the investigation proceeds” the statement said.

President Biden has offered full U.S. support for and assistance with Poland’s investigation in his phone conversation with Polish President Andrzej Duda.

The White House said it has “seen nothing that contradicts President Duda’s preliminary assessment that this explosion was most likely the result of a Ukrainian air defense missile that unfortunately landed in Poland.” Regardless of the final conclusions, “it is clear that the party ultimately responsible for this tragic incident is Russia, which launched a barrage of missiles on Ukraine specifically intended to target civilian infrastructure,” the White House said in a statement. “Ukraine had — and has — every right to defend itself.”