President Joe Biden said today that it was “unlikely” that a missile that killed two in NATO-ally Poland was fired from Russia, but pledged support for Poland’s investigation into what it had called a “Russian-made” missile.
Biden spoke after he convened an “emergency” meeting of the Group of Seven and NATO leaders in Indonesia this morning for consultations the attack on that killed two people in the eastern part of Poland near the Ukraine border.
“There is preliminary information that contests that,” Biden told reporters when asked if the missile had been fired from Russia.
“It is unlikely in the lines of the trajectory that it was fired from Russia, but we’ll see. ”
Three US officials said preliminary assessments suggested the missile was fired by Ukrainian forces at an incoming Russian missile amid a crushing salvo against Ukraine’s electrical infrastructure today.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly.
Ukraine still maintains stocks of former Soviet and Russian-made weaponry, including the S-300 air-defence missile system.
The president, who was awakened overnight by staff with the news of the missile explosion while in Indonesia for the Group of 20 summit, called Polish President Andrzej Duda earlier today to express his “deep condolences” for the loss of life.
Biden promised on Twitter “full US support for and assistance with Poland’s investigation,” and “reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to NATO”.
Biden held a separate meeting later with new British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, in their first extended conversation since he took office last month.
“We’re going to continue to support Ukraine as long as Russia continues their aggression,” Biden said alongside Sunak, adding that he was “glad we’re on the same page” in backing Ukraine.
A statement from the Polish Foreign Ministry identified the missile as being made in Russia. But Poland’s president, Duda, was more cautious about its origin, saying that officials did not know for sure who fired it or where it was made.
He said it was “most probably” Russian-made, but that is being still verified. If confirmed, it would be the first time since the invasion of Ukraine that a Russian weapon came down on a NATO country.
Biden also said the leaders condemned “the latest series of Russian missile attacks”, referring to the confirmed Russian strikes in recent days that have targeted Ukraine’s power grid and caused widespread blackouts.
“The moment when the world came together at the G-20 to urge de-escalation, Russia continues to escalate in Ukraine, while we’re meeting,” Biden said. “There were scores and scores of missile attacks in western Ukraine. ”
Biden and his allies had set out to isolate Russia at the G-20 summit and the group’s final communique was expected to show that “most” of the nations in the G-20 condemn Russia’s invasion.
In addition to Biden’s conversations, Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks with his Polish and Ukrainian counterparts today, the State Department said.
Army General Mark Milley spoke with Polish Chief of the General Staff General Rajmund Andrzejczak today. The Joint Staff said the two generals discussed the explosion in Poland and the loss of life there. He provided no other details..
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