EU leaders call for unity after reported Russian drone strike on train near Polish border
European officials have urged greater support for Ukraine and tougher measures against Moscow after a reported strike on a passenger train in Volyn.
European Union officials have condemned a reported Russian drone strike on the locomotive of a passenger train at a railway station in Ukraine’s Volyn region, about 2 kilometres from the Polish border.
The incident, reported by Deutsche Welle, occurred shortly after a diplomatic train carrying former British prime minister Boris Johnson and other European diplomats had been at the station. The available information does not establish whether that train was the intended target, and does not give details of casualties or damage.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the attack appeared intended to intimidate Western countries and argued that Ukraine’s allies should demonstrate continued support. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo called for more assistance to Kyiv, additional political measures and further sanctions against Russia.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described the incident as a test of European unity, democratic values and the rule of law. Barrot said pressure from Moscow was intended to divide European countries.
German Foreign Minister Boris Pistorius said the reported drone activity should be taken seriously but cautioned that Europe must not be forced into escalation. The Kremlin did not directly address the specific strike, saying Russian forces operate across all Ukrainian territory and would continue to do so.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said the incident reflected what he described as Russia being “de facto” at war with Europe. The attribution of the strike to Russia has not been independently verified in the available source material.
