NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AP) – President Joe Biden said Wednesday it was “unlikely” that a missile that killed two in NATO ally Poland was fired by Russia, but pledged to support Poland’s investigation into what he called ” Russian-made” missile.
Biden spoke after calling an “emergency” meeting of the Group of Seven and NATO leaders in Indonesia on Wednesday morning to discuss the attack that killed two people in eastern Poland near the border with Ukraine.
“There is preliminary information that disputes that,” Biden told reporters when asked if the missile was fired from Russia.  “It’s unlikely on the trajectory lines that it was launched from Russia, but we’ll see.”
It was not immediately clear whether Biden was suggesting that the missile had not been launched by Russia at all.  Ukraine still maintains stockpiles of ex-Soviet and Russian-made weapons, including the S-300 air defense system.
The president, who was awakened overnight by staff with news of the missile explosion while in Indonesia for the Group of 20 summit, called Polish President Andrzej Duda early Wednesday to express his “deep condolences » for the loss of life.  Biden pledged on Twitter “full US support and assistance for the Polish investigation” and “reaffirmed the ironclad commitment of the United States to NATO.”
Biden said he briefed allies on his talks with Duda and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and that there was “absolute unanimity among the people at the table” to support Poland’s investigation into the attack.
“I’m going to make sure we find out exactly what happened,” Biden said.  “And then we will collectively determine our next step as we investigate.”
Meeting at a large round table in a ballroom at his hotel, the US president hosted the leaders of the G-7, which includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the European Union , along with the president of the European Council and the prime ministers of NATO allies Spain and the Netherlands.
A statement from Poland’s foreign ministry said the missile was manufactured in Russia.  But Poland’s president, Duda, was more circumspect about its origin, saying officials did not know for sure who fired it or where it was made.  He said it was “likely” Russian-made, but that is still being verified.  If confirmed, it would be the first time since the invasion of Ukraine that a Russian weapon has landed in a NATO country.
The foundation of the NATO alliance is the principle that an attack on one member is an attack on all, making the source of the missile launch critical in determining next steps.
Biden also said the leaders condemned “the latest series of Russian missile attacks,” referring to confirmed Russian attacks in recent days that targeted Ukraine’s power grid and caused widespread blackouts.
“As the world gathered at the G-20 to call for de-escalation, Russia continues to escalate in Ukraine while we meet,” Biden said.  “There were dozens and dozens of rocket attacks in western Ukraine.”
Biden and his allies had set out to isolate Russia at the G-20 summit, and the group’s final communique was expected to show that “most” of the nations at the G-20 condemned the Russian invasion.