Top Ukrainian, US diplomats discuss suspected missile strike in Poland

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Top diplomats from Ukraine and the US on Wednesday discussed in a phone call the suspected missile strike in Poland which killed two people.

"Detailed call with (Secretary of State) Antony Blinken on Russian missile terror -- its scale, aims, consequences. I stressed the response to what happened in Poland must be stiff and principled. Grateful for affirming the US will double down on recovering our energy system, together with G7 and the EU,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a tweet.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also confirmed the phone conversation with Kuleba, saying the US will support Ukraine for “as long as it takes.”

Earlier, Blinken said he spoke with Kuleba and Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau regarding the explosion in eastern Poland.

“We pledged to remain closely coordinated in the days ahead as the investigation proceeds and we determine appropriate next steps,” Blinken said in a tweet.

The suspected missiles struck a village in Poland, near its border with Ukraine, late on Tuesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of deliberately attacking Poland, a NATO member, with the latest strikes, hinting that Russian attacks could spread to the rest of Europe.

Poland's President Andrzej Duda said Wednesday it is unclear as to who launched the missile strike but "it was a rocket of Russian production."

US President Joe Biden said that it was “unlikely” that the missiles were fired from Russia, but an investigation was ongoing. Biden also spoke with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda and offered Washington’s support in an investigation into the reported explosion.

Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry denied that the country launched missile strikes on Poland.