The EU's chief diplomat Kaja Kallas said Europe will not be 'scared off' from supporting Ukraine after a Russian drone struck a passenger train near the Polish border. Ukrainian Railways said an earlier train carrying Boris Johnson and David Petraeus may have been the intended target.
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Key facts
- A Russian drone hit a passenger train on Ukraine's border with Poland.
- An earlier train carrying former UK PM Boris Johnson and former CIA chief David Petraeus may have been the target, according to Ukrainian Railways.
- EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas called the attack 'a message to the western world.'
- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the strike showed Vladimir Putin's desperation.
- Both officials said the response would be to increase support for Ukraine.
Europe needs to show it will not be ‘scared off’ in supporting Ukraine, the EU’s chief diplomat Kaja Kallas said, after a Russian drone hit a passenger train on the country’s border with Poland. According to the Guardian, the strike came shortly after a convoy of high-level diplomats and former leaders had passed through the area.
The Guardian reported that the earlier train had been carrying the former UK prime minister Boris Johnson and the former CIA chief David Petraeus. The train was running ahead of schedule, and Ukrainian Railways has said it may have been the target of the Russian drone strike.
Kallas described the drone attack as ‘a message to the western world,’ framing the incident as an attempt to intimidate Ukraine’s international backers. Her comments reflected a stated determination among European officials to maintain support for Kyiv.
The head of NATO, Mark Rutte, said the attack would not deter Kyiv’s western backers. He said the strike on a passenger train showed how desperate Vladimir Putin had become.
‘He thinks that he can stops us from supporting Ukraine and that he can undermine our unity. He is wrong. Our answer is to increase support,’ the NATO general secretary said, according to the Guardian.
The sources do not confirm the identity of those responsible beyond attributing the strike to Russia, nor do they state whether anyone was injured. Ukrainian Railways’ assessment that the earlier train may have been the target has not been independently confirmed in the material available.
Why it matters
According to the reporting, the strike hit a route used shortly before by prominent Western figures, raising questions about the safety of travel near Ukraine's borders. The statements from EU and NATO leaders indicate that such attacks may harden Western resolve rather than reduce support for Kyiv.
Frequently asked questions
Who was on the train that may have been targeted?
According to Ukrainian Railways, an earlier train that may have been the target was carrying former UK prime minister Boris Johnson and former CIA chief David Petraeus. It was running ahead of schedule.
How did EU and NATO leaders respond?
EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas said Europe would not be 'scared off' and called the attack 'a message to the western world.' NATO chief Mark Rutte said it showed Putin's desperation and that the answer would be to increase support for Ukraine.
Where did the drone strike happen?
The Russian drone hit a passenger train on Ukraine's border with Poland.
Timeline
- Russian strike on passenger train will not deter Ukraine’s backers, Nato chief says
The Guardian World: Mark Rutte says attack that narrowly missed Boris Johnson and David Petraeus shows Vladimir Putin’s desperation Europe live – latest updates The head of Nato has said a Russian drone attack on a train close to Ukraine’s border with Poland would not deter Kyiv’s western backers. M
- ‘We are not scared,’ says top EU diplomat after Russian strike on passenger train
The Guardian World: Kaja Kallas calls drone attack that narrowly missed Boris Johnson and David Petraeus ‘a message to the western world’ Europe live – latest updates Europe needs to show it will not be “scared off” in supporting Ukraine, the EU’s chief diplomat said, after a Russian drone hit a pas