WASHINGTON, Nov 16 — United States (US) President Joe Biden offered US support Tuesday for an investigation by Poland into a reported explosion near its border with Ukraine.
The White House said in a statement that Biden spoke with Polish President Andrzej Duda and “expressed deep condolences for the loss of life in eastern Poland earlier this evening”, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
“President Duda described Poland’s ongoing assessment of the explosion that took place in the eastern part of the country near the border with Ukraine.
“President Biden offered full US support for and assistance with Poland’s investigation,” said the statement.
Biden also reaffirmed the US’s “ironclad commitment to NATO,” said the statement, adding the two leaders and their teams “should remain in close touch to determine appropriate next steps as the investigation proceeds.”
The phone call came after reports that two Russian missiles were stuck in eastern Poland’s village of Przewodow, where two people were killed.
Poland’s Warsaw said it is considering calling on NATO to trigger Article 4, which permits members of the alliance to call a NATO meeting when they perceive a threat to the “territorial integrity, political independence or security” of any NATO ally.
Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said early Wednesday that the missiles were Russian-made.
Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau summoned the Russian ambassador to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a demand to provide a detailed immediate explanation.
