Poland, NATO, the European Union and the G7 have played the appeasement card on Wednesday 16 November after a Russian-made missile fell on Polish territory just a few kilometres from the Ukrainian border, killing two people.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that “there is no evidence that this was a deliberate attack”, while adding that an investigation was underway and that they needed to wait for the results. “And we have no indications that Russia is preparing offensive military action against NATO”, he added, after a meeting was held between ambassadors from allied countries.
Mr Stoltenberg said that a preliminary analysis indicated that the “incident“ was “probably” caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile that was fired in defence of Ukrainian territory against Russian cruise missile attacks. An explanation was also provided by the Polish Prime Minister.
“Let’s be clear. This is not Ukraine’s fault. Russia bears ultimate responsibility, since it continues its illegal war against Ukraine”, warned Mr Soltenberg.
On Wednesday, Ukraine requested access to the site of the deadly blast, adding that Kyiv was ready to provide “evidence” that Russia was responsible.
According to the Kremlin, Moscow had “nothing to do with the missile exploding”.
The NATO Secretary General also announced that he had spoken with Polish President Andrzej Duda and US President Joe Biden and that the three leaders had agreed to “ remain vigilant, calm, and closely coordinated”. “We will continue to consult with each other and monitor the situation very closely”, he added.
Contrary to what had been previously announced, Mr Stoltenberg explained that there was no call to convene a meeting on the basis of Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which provides for consultations to be held “whenever (...) the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties (is) threatened”.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also announced that his country had increased its military and allied air force presence on its eastern border.
European solidarity...
In parallel with the NATO meeting, the ambassadors of the EU Member States (Coreper) also discussed the situation and were briefed on it by the Poles.
According to Polish ambassador Andrzej Sadoś, what is needed is to “stay calm and keep a cool head”. The ambassador said his country was taking the situation very seriously, adding that he too had “no doubt” that the direct cause of Tuesday’s “tragedy” was the massive missile attack on Ukraine that had taken place the same day.
“Whatever the results of the detailed investigation, the fact that Russia is directly responsible for yesterday’s tragedy, has been affirmed”, he said.
Furthermore, according to Mr Sadoś, what is needed is “to avoid Russian disinformation, ensure that all information provided in the public sphere (is) verified and, of course, to be particularly united in the days that follow”.
According to a European diplomat, the ambassadors praised the professionalism of the Polish response. They emphasised the importance of fact-finding and controlled communications. The same diplomat added that the conclusion was that we should remain united and supportive as Europeans.
... and international
During the night (Belgian time), the leaders of the G7 and NATO countries (except Turkey) who were present at the G20 had an urgent meeting to discuss the situation.
Offering their full support and assistance to the ongoing investigation in Poland, the leaders agreed to remain in “close contact” to “ determine the appropriate next steps as the investigation progresses”.
In a joint statement issued by the leaders, they also condemned the “barbaric missile attacks that Russia perpetrated on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure on Tuesday”. They reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine and their continued commitment to holding Russia accountable for its “brazen attacks” on Ukrainian communities.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Russia’s armed aggression in Ukraine was discussed in Bali at the G20 summit.
The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, has called on all parties not to stir up tensions. “We must stop the war”, he said. He praised the “flexibility” of the G20 leaders that meant the Bali Declaration could be adopted at the end of the summit.
Regarding the war in Ukraine, this statement notes the national positions expressed at the UN and the UN General Assembly which, in March, deplored the Russian aggression “in the strongest terms” and called for the “ unconditional” withdrawal of the Russian army from Ukrainian territory.
“This is not a time for war” stressed the G20 countries. “ Most” of them, according to the Bali Declaration, are of the opinion that Russian aggression “is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating the fragilities of the global economy”, in terms of energy and food insecurity (see other news).
The G20 statement also acknowledges that there could be “different analyses” of the geopolitical situation and the sanctions imposed on Russia, which was represented in Bali by its foreign minister.
The G20 also emphasised the importance of “upholding international law and the multilateral system that guarantees peace and stability”. This includes upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including protecting civilians during armed conflict. “The use, or threat of use, of nuclear weapons is unacceptable”, said the G20.
See the Bali Declaration made by the G20 countries: https://aeur.eu/f/437 (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant with Mathieu Bion)