NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has pledged additional support for Ukraine after Russian drone strikes hit close to the border with Poland. Rutte insisted on Monday that the 32-nation military alliance will not be deterred from backing Kyiv in the Russia-Ukraine war, and that it will beef up its own defences along the eastern border with Russia. The NATO chief’s comments came as Poland pledged increased security along its border with Ukraine.
On Sunday, Russian drones hit a train near the Ukraine-Poland border and a second strike hit close to another crossing point. The strike that hit the train came minutes after a diplomatic delegation that included former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt had passed through the station, according to Ukraine’s state rail operator. Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the attacks close to the Polish border were “clearly meant to scare Western countries from supporting Ukraine,” and added: “We should show that we are there for Ukraine and we are not scared.” Asked about the strike on the train, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian forces were operating “across the entire territory of Ukraine … and will continue to do so”.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned on Sunday that Moscow appears poised to intensify its campaign targeting Ukraine’s western borders. Polish officials have said intelligence reports, including a CIA briefing last week, suggest that Russia is likely to attack border points and intensify sabotage actions inside European countries as part of its efforts to discourage states from supporting Ukraine. Tusk said he would consult NATO allies on preparing a potential joint response.
Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump said that Ukraine and Russia have agreed not to hit each other’s energy infrastructure. The US president has recently appeared ready to revive efforts to broker peace, albeit continuing to suggest he leans towards the Russian narrative on the war. The cost of diesel fuel in particular has come into focus as inflation continues to dent Trump’s popularity ahead of the US midterm elections in November.
Ukraine has found significant success in targeting Russia’s oil refining infrastructure in recent months. Russia has agreed to do, likewise!” Trump wrote on social media. Despite the US’s continued war on Iran, the US president has said he believes the hike in diesel fuel prices is caused by the war in Ukraine.
However, neither Russia nor Ukraine has confirmed the claim. Russian forces hit two cargo vessels in the Black Sea on Monday, the Interfax news agency reported. One person was killed and another was injured during attacks on Russia’s Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, local authorities said.
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