France and the European Union have condemned a Russian strike on a passenger train traveling to Poland, just two kilometres from the Polish border. The attack has heightened concerns about the risk of the war spreading closer to EU and NATO territory.
French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot said that Russian strikes on Ukraine over the weekend had a “clear goal: to intimidate Europeans, to discourage them, and also to divide them.” The strikes occurred while a major economic‑support forum was being held in Ukraine, attended by business representatives and diplomats from various countries.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas also said that the strikes were intended to “scare” Western countries and force them to abandon their support for Ukraine. She urged allies to do the “opposite.”
On Sunday, a Russian drone struck the locomotive of a PKP Intercity passenger train heading to Warsaw, about two kilometres from the Polish border. There were 206 people on board, and none were injured. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attack “deliberate.”
Reaction to escalation
NATO official Mark Rutte described Russia’s actions as a desperate move. “The strike on a passenger train in Ukraine yesterday shows how desperate (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has become. He thinks he can stop us from supporting Ukraine and undermine our unity. He is wrong. Our response is to increase support,” Rutte told reporters.
This rail line is regularly used by foreign officials travelling to or from Kyiv. According to the Ukrainian railway operator, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former CIA Director David Petraeus were returning from a conference in Kyiv on separate trains using the same line at roughly the same time the locomotive was hit.
Russia said the strike targeted railway infrastructure used to transport military cargo from European countries.
Other Russian strikes over the weekend killed at least two people in Kramatorsk. A second day of attacks on the southern port city of Odesa left 20 people wounded, including two children.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk held an emergency meeting in Warsaw after the attacks and said he expects an escalation of the war in the “coming weeks.” Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski said this escalation should prompt allies to “double down” on their support for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has intensified long‑range strikes on Russian territory, including oil refineries and logistics bases. Amid this escalation, the civilian death toll has reached its highest level since the early days of the war.
France and the European Union emphasized that Russia must not be allowed to intimidate European governments or weaken their support for Kyiv. Diplomatic efforts to resume negotiations between Russia and Ukraine remain uncertain. The Kremlin said further talks could take place in October.
Source: RFI
