Nato’s head has said that a Russian drone attack on a train near Ukraine’s border with Poland would not deter Kyiv’s western allies. Mark Rutte said the strike on a passenger train showed how desperate Vladimir Putin had become. “He thinks he can stop us from supporting Ukraine and undermine our unity. He is wrong. Our answer is to increase support,” the Nato secretary general said. European leaders condemned the strike, in which a Russian drone hit a passenger train on Ukraine’s border with Poland on Sunday, shortly after a convoy of high-level diplomats and former leaders had passed through. Ukrainian Railways has said the earlier train, carrying former UK prime minister Boris Johnson and former CIA chief David Petraeus and running ahead of schedule, may have been the target of the Russian drone strike. A spokesperson for the UK prime minister, Andy Burnham, echoed Rutte, saying the attack “was a futile attempt by Russia to undermine our support for Ukraine. It will not deter us.” French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the attacks were meant “to intimidate Europeans, discourage and above all divide them.” The EU’s high representative for foreign and security policy, Kaja Kallas, said the strike “was clearly a message to the western world.” Speaking at an Arctic conference in Finland, she said: “I think the question for us is what do we take from that message? I think we should act the opposite. We should show that we are there for Ukraine and we are not scared off, because otherwise Russia will just achieve what they want, which is the submission of Ukraine.” A spokesperson for Kallas added: “We strongly condemn the latest Russian strikes near the Ukraine-Poland border, including the attack against the passenger train,” and mentioned a recent EU decision to approve a €6.1bn tranche of the €90bn loan for Ukraine. “We are acting on the front to equip Ukraine better to defend itself, and we will continue to stand firmly with Ukraine and its right to defend itself against Russian aggression,” the spokesperson said. Overnight attacks across Ukraine involving more than 450 Russian drones and missiles killed at least six people and injured more than 40. Ukraine’s air force said it had intercepted 405 drones and four missiles. Western Ukraine, which is usually quieter than Kyiv or the eastern frontline zones, was particularly badly hit. The strikes, which prompted air raid warnings in Poland, came as EU diplomats met in Brussels on Monday for last-ditch talks on rolling over the bloc’s sanctions against more than 2,600 Russian individuals and entities involved in supporting Vladimir Putin’s war. The sanctions are due to expire on Tuesday, but their extension is being held up by a dispute about whether to remove an individual from the list. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, wrote on Telegram on Sunday: “Ukrainians are fighting every day to prevent these strikes from spreading further into Europe, giving their lives and preventing the aggression from expanding.” Ukrainian Railways, which operates the line, said a train carrying several security advisers from European countries as well as Johnson, Petraeus and former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt had passed through the border crossing shortly before the drone strike.Ukrainian Railways said the diplomatic train had left ahead of schedule and could have been the target of the Russian drone. View image in fullscreen. Donald Tusk said Poland had been tipped off by its security services and allied intelligence agencies that an attack such as this was likely. Photograph: Piotr Nowak/EPA. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned on Sunday that intensifying Russian attacks in Ukraine in the coming weeks could affect Poland, as he chaired an emergency meeting after the Russian drone attacks near the border. “The coming weeks and months will be a period of very intensive actions on the Russian side,” he said, adding Poland “cannot rule out that this escalation will also affect our territory.” He added that Poland had been tipped off by its security services, and by intelligence agencies from allied countries, that an attack such as this was likely. “We knew that the Russian plan would include an attempt to disrupt, paralyse, and perhaps even destroy Ukrainian border crossings,” Tusk said.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the statement about the NATO chiefs response to the Russian attack on a passenger train
What happened in the attack on the train
Russia launched a missile strike on a passenger train in Ukraine The attack caused deaths and injuries among civilians
Who is the NATO chief
The NATO chief is the Secretary General of NATO This is the top civilian official who leads the alliance As of 2024 the Secretary General is Jens Stoltenberg
What did the NATO chief say about the attack
He said the attack would not discourage Ukraines supporters He meant that NATO and its allies will keep helping Ukraine despite the violence
Why would Russia attack a passenger train
Russia likely wanted to spread fear and disrupt daily life in Ukraine Targeting civilians is a way to pressure Ukraines government and people
What does discourage Ukraines supporters mean
It means the attack was meant to make NATO countries and other allies stop supporting Ukraine The NATO chief said it will not work
Who are Ukraines supporters
They are mostly NATO member countries the European Union and other nations like the United States the United Kingdom and Canada They provide money weapons and humanitarian aid
What kind of support do these countries give Ukraine
They send military equipment ammunition money medical supplies and food They also train Ukrainian soldiers and share intelligence
Will NATO send troops to Ukraine
No NATO has not sent combat troops to fight in Ukraine It supports Ukraine with weapons and aid but avoids direct war with Russia
Why doesnt NATO just stop helping Ukraine if attacks keep happening
NATO believes that helping Ukraine is about defending democracy and international law Stopping support would let Russia win which NATO sees as a bigger threat
What is NATO
NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization It is a military alliance of 32 countries Its main goal is to protect its members from attack
How does NATO decide to support Ukraine
NATO members discuss and agree together Each country decides what it will give NATO as a whole coordinates some aid but does not force members to act
What is the difference between NATO and the EU
NATO is a military alliance The EU is a political and economic union Many countries are in both but they have different roles
