NATO allies will respond to a Russian drone attack in Ukraine just 2 kilometers from the Polish border by expanding support for Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said.

During a joint press conference with Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on the 14th, Secretary General Rutte criticized the attack, stating, "Yesterday's attack on a passenger train in Ukraine shows Vladimir Putin's desperation. Russia is becoming increasingly reckless as it continues its horrific war against Ukraine."

Previously, a Russian drone struck Ukrainian railway facilities in the Volyn region near the Yahodyn-Dorohusk border close to Poland the day before. The blast heavily damaged the locomotive of a passenger train traveling from Kyiv to Warsaw.

Notably, the airstrike occurred shortly after a train carrying former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt—both of whom strongly supported Ukraine during their terms—and foreign and security officials from several European Union countries departed Yahodyn Station in western Ukraine and crossed the Polish border. This has raised suspicions that Russia may have deliberately targeted them.

Regarding the attack, Secretary General Rutte emphasized, "Putin thinks he can deter NATO from supporting Ukraine and weaken our unity, but he is wrong. Our response will instead be to increase our support for Ukraine and ensure it has what it needs to defend itself."

He added that NATO's commitment to collective defense remains firm, stating, "We will do everything necessary to protect every square inch of Allied territory."

European leaders attending the Arctic Summit in Rovaniemi, Finland, also expressed concern over the train attack launched by Russia the day before, warning that the Russian threat is growing.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo stated that the attack shows Russia is becoming increasingly aggressive by the day, emphasizing, "European countries must support Ukraine against Russia's invasion with greater resolve than ever before."

Kaja Kallas, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, defined the attack as a "message" from Russia aimed at intimidating the West into halting its support for and visits to Ukraine, adding, "We must do the exact opposite. We must show that we are not afraid."

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda pointed out that Russia's threat should no longer be viewed as confined to a specific region, noting that hybrid attacks suspected of being backed by Russia have occurred not only in the Baltic states but also in Germany and elsewhere.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)