Europe’s leaders express solidarity with Poland
There’s been unanimous condemnation from Western leaders, not least in Europe, after a missile, most likely Russian-made according to Warsaw, hit Polish territory and killed two people.
“Poland can count on France’s support and our readiness to assist in ongoing investigations,” President Macron of Francetweeted after meeting Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Tuesday night.
Germany said it stood “closely alongside” its Polish NATO partner.
Finland — in the front line as Russia’s neighbour and a non-NATO member — said immediately after the explosions that it was “in contact with the Finnish embassy in Warsaw and other foreign ministers. We are waiting for more detailed information from Poland and our partners”.
In Eastern Europe, reactions, some of them more virulent, came in the wake of the explosions, before it was confirmed where the missile came from, or where it was made.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda described the news from Poland as “concerning”. “Every inch of NATO territory must be defended,” he tweeted.
Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger also expressed support. This was followed by Latvia and Estonia, both of whom said they stood by Poland.
In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s spokesman said that a defence council had been convened in the evening. Defence Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky said afterwards that the situation was “uncertain” and “we don’t know exactly what happened”.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had spoken with Polish President Andrzej Duda. “Expressed condolences over the death of Polish citizens from Russian missile terror,” he tweeted. “We exchanged available information and are clarifying all the facts. Ukraine, Poland, all of Europe and the world must be fully protected from terrorist Russia.”
An emergency NATO meeting was due to be held on Wednesday. Another meeting was held on Wednesday morning in Bali between the leaders of the G7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States), the White House announced.