Nato says Poland blast was ‘not Ukraine’s fault’ and urged Russia to stop ‘senseless war’

Nato ambassadors have called on Russia to end their ‘senseless war’ after a missile killed two people in eastern Poland.

The strike took place near to the Ukrainian border last night.

Poland’s president has said a missile blast that killed two people near its
border with Ukraine appears to have been an ‘unfortunate accident’, not an
‘intentional attack’.

Today’s Nato gathering in Brussels was chaired by Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who is giving a news conference today.

He explained that a press conference was ongoing and there was ‘no indication’ Russia was preparing military action against Nato.

Mr Stoltenberg added: ‘This is not Ukraine’s fault.’

The emergency meeting came amid concerns that last night’s incident could be a trigger for war to spill into neighbouring countries.

Nato allies were quick to express concern and support last night.

Two people died after the late night missile struck an area near the border (Picture: Nagib Tamusuza)

The blast took place in Przewodow, Poland (Picture: Omar Marques/Getty Images)

‘The reaction of our allies, their unequivocal support and willingness to stand by us, shows that we are a much safer country than if we were not in NATO,’ Poland’s deputy foreign minister Pawel Jablonski told private radio station RMF FM on Wednesday.

‘As a country bordering Ukraine, we may be exposed to various types of incidents, including accidental ones,’ he added.

Many allies called for thorough investigations on the rocket’s source.

U.S. President Joe Biden said it was probably not fired from Russia. The Kremlin, meanwhile, said it had nothing to do with the blast.

But it were to be determined that Moscow was to blame for the blast, it could trigger Nato’s principle of collective defence known as Article 5, in which an attack on one of the Western alliance’s members is deemed an attack on all, starting deliberations on a potential military response.

In the meantime, Poland will likely invoke Nato’s Article 4 , Polish officials said in the early hours of Wednesday.

The article 4 is a call for consultations among the allies in the face of a security threat, allowing for more time to determine what steps to take.

Last night’s explosion near the Ukrainian border came as Russia unleashed a wave of missiles targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure, attacks that Kyiv said were the heaviest in nearly nine months of war.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen walks after an emergency meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Bali, Indonesia (Picture: EPA)

U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also attended the emergency meeting (Picture: Reuters)

Nato and G7 countries said earlier on Wednesday, after meeting in the margins of a G20 leaders’ summit in Indonesia, that they would remain in close contact to decide any possible reaction to the blast.

Contacts are also ongoing at European Union level. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tweeted that he had assured Poland of the ‘EU Foreign Affairs Council’ full support’ in talks overnight with Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau.

Rishi Sunak attended a morning roundtable of leaders, called by US President, Joe Biden.

It also included French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Japan’s premier Fumio Kishida and Canada’s Justin Trudeau.

They pledged to offer their ‘full support’ for Poland’s investigation into the incident, with preliminary assessments from US intelligence later suggesting the missile was fired by Ukrainian forces at an incoming Russian one.

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Nato’s emergency meeting comes amid concerns that last night’s incident could be a trigger for the Ukraine war to spill into neighbouring countries.