Biden: 'Unlikely' that missile that fell on Poland was fired from Russia
1 min agoEU and Australia reiterate support for Ukraine at G20 summitFrom CNN's Yong XiongEuropean Union leaders and Australia stand “resolutely with Ukraine” and remain “unwavering” in their support for the country amid its war with Russia, according to a joint statement issued Wednesday at the G20 summit in Bali. The joint statement from Australian, European Council and European Commission leaders came after a meeting between Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.“The leaders condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia’s unprovoked, illegal and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine,” the statement reads, adding that the Australian and EU leaders “reiterated their firm commitment to holding Russia, and all perpetrators and accomplices, to account.”The statement also acknowledged the war in Ukraine has caused “disruption and volatility” of global energy and food markets, and noted the role Australia can play in contributing to the stability of global gas markets through its steady supply to the Indo-Pacific. 15 min agoRussia's isolation at G20 summit over Ukraine puts China and India under spotlightFrom CNN's Nectar Gan in Bali, Indonesia and Rhea MogulXi Jinping walks at the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, on Wednesday. Willy Kurniawan/Pool/ReutersRussia’s international isolation grew Wednesday, as world leaders sought to gain unanimous support in condemning its war in Ukraine that has killed thousands of people and roiled the global economy.At the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, scrutiny fell on China and India as Western countries pushed for a strong denunciation of the war in a closing statement that was due just hours after Poland said a “Russian-made missile” had landed in a village near its border with Ukraine, killing two people.It remains unclear who fired that missile. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces have used Russian-made munitions during the conflict, with Ukraine deploying Russian-made missiles as part of their air defense system. But whatever the outcome of the investigation into the deadly strike, the incident underscored the dangers of miscalculation in a brutal war that has stretched on for nearly nine months, and which risks escalating further and dragging major powers into it.Waking up to the news, US President Joe Biden and leaders from the G7 and NATO convened an emergency meeting in Bali to discuss the explosion. The incident now raises the stakes in an effort by the US and its allies to end the G20 summit with a joint communique denouncing Russia’s war.The passing of the communique would require the buy-in from leaders that share close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and have until now seemed reluctant to outwardly criticize his invasion — most notably Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who declared a “no-limits” friendship between their countries weeks before the invasion, and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.With the summit set to draw to a close on Wednesday afternoon, all eyes are on what the final declaration will look like, and which countries will sign it.Read the full story here.32 min agoTurkish President says he "respects" Russia’s denials over Poland missile incidentFrom CNN’s Mayumi Maruyama and Josh PenningtonTurkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he respects Russia's denial of involvement in a deadly explosion in Poland, but added that the incident should be investigated.Two people were killed Tuesday when what Polish authorities said was a "Russian-made missile" landed near the village of Przewodow, about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) west of the Ukrainian border.Speaking Wednesday at a news conference at the G20 summit in Bali, Erdogan said he “has to respect the declaration made by Russia” that it was not responsible. “We take seriously Russia's statement that "[it] have nothing to do with this," he said.“This morning when I met with the German chancellor Mr. [Olaf] Scholz, we have also agreed that further investigation is needed.”The circumstances surrounding the incident, including who fired the missile and where it was fired from, remain unclear. Both Ukraine and Russia have used Russian-made munitions during the almost nine-month conflict. Russian denials: Russia's Defense Ministry said reports of Russian missiles landing in Poland were a "deliberate provocation." The Russian mission at the United Nations on Wednesday reiterated that stance and claimed — without offering evidence or specifically naming any parties — that the incident was an attempt to bring NATO directly into the war in Ukraine.Some background: Erdogan has played a delicate balancing act since the start of Russia's invasion. He has refused to sign up to Western sanctions against Russia and sought to play something of a peacemaker role between Kyiv and Moscow. The Turkish leader also helped broker a deal between Russia and Ukraine to allow the resumption of grain sh
Landwebs
EU and Australia reiterate support for Ukraine at G20 summit
From CNN's Yong Xiong
European Union leaders and Australia stand “resolutely with Ukraine” and remain “unwavering” in their support for the country amid its war with Russia, according to a joint statement issued Wednesday at the G20 summit in Bali.
The joint statement from Australian, European Council and European Commission leaders came after a meeting between Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“The leaders condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia’s unprovoked, illegal and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine,” the statement reads, adding that the Australian and EU leaders “reiterated their firm commitment to holding Russia, and all perpetrators and accomplices, to account.”
The statement also acknowledged the war in Ukraine has caused “disruption and volatility” of global energy and food markets, and noted the role Australia can play in contributing to the stability of global gas markets through its steady supply to the Indo-Pacific.
Russia's isolation at G20 summit over Ukraine puts China and India under spotlight
From CNN's Nectar Gan in Bali, Indonesia and Rhea Mogul
Russia’s international isolation grew Wednesday, as world leaders sought to gain unanimous support in condemning its war in Ukraine that has killed thousands of people and roiled the global economy.
At the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, scrutiny fell on China and India as Western countries pushed for a strong denunciation of the war in a closing statement that was due just hours after Poland said a “Russian-made missile” had landed in a village near its border with Ukraine, killing two people.
It remains unclear who fired that missile. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces have used Russian-made munitions during the conflict, with Ukraine deploying Russian-made missiles as part of their air defense system. But whatever the outcome of the investigation into the deadly strike, the incident underscored the dangers of miscalculation in a brutal war that has stretched on for nearly nine months, and which risks escalating further and dragging major powers into it.
Waking up to the news, US President Joe Biden and leaders from the G7 and NATO convened an emergency meeting in Bali to discuss the explosion. The incident now raises the stakes in an effort by the US and its allies to end the G20 summit with a joint communique denouncing Russia’s war.
The passing of the communique would require the buy-in from leaders that share close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and have until now seemed reluctant to outwardly criticize his invasion — most notably Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who declared a “no-limits” friendship between their countries weeks before the invasion, and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
With the summit set to draw to a close on Wednesday afternoon, all eyes are on what the final declaration will look like, and which countries will sign it.
Read the full story here.
Turkish President says he "respects" Russia’s denials over Poland missile incident
From CNN’s Mayumi Maruyama and Josh Pennington
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he respects Russia's denial of involvement in a deadly explosion in Poland, but added that the incident should be investigated.
Two people were killed Tuesday when what Polish authorities said was a "Russian-made missile" landed near the village of Przewodow, about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) west of the Ukrainian border.
Speaking Wednesday at a news conference at the G20 summit in Bali, Erdogan said he “has to respect the declaration made by Russia” that it was not responsible.
“We take seriously Russia's statement that "[it] have nothing to do with this," he said.
“This morning when I met with the German chancellor Mr. [Olaf] Scholz, we have also agreed that further investigation is needed.”
The circumstances surrounding the incident, including who fired the missile and where it was fired from, remain unclear. Both Ukraine and Russia have used Russian-made munitions during the almost nine-month conflict.
Russian denials: Russia's Defense Ministry said reports of Russian missiles landing in Poland were a "deliberate provocation." The Russian mission at the United Nations on Wednesday reiterated that stance and claimed — without offering evidence or specifically naming any parties — that the incident was an attempt to bring NATO directly into the war in Ukraine.
Some background: Erdogan has played a delicate balancing act since the start of Russia's invasion. He has refused to sign up to Western sanctions against Russia and sought to play something of a peacemaker role between Kyiv and Moscow. The Turkish leader also helped broker a deal between Russia and Ukraine to allow the resumption of grain shipments from Ukraine's Black Sea ports.
President Biden has left the G20 summit in Bali
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
US President Joe Biden has left Bali on Air Force One after attending the G20 summit and holding a high-stakes first meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the Indonesian island.
Prior to his departure, Biden held an emergency meeting with G7 and NATO allies on the sidelines of the summit on Tuesday after Poland said a "Russian-made missile" landed on a village near the Ukraine border on Tuesday, killing two people.
Biden said earlier that preliminary information suggested it is unlikely the missile was fired from within Russia.
Moscow's UN envoy claims Poland blast an "attempt to provoke a direct military clash between NATO and Russia"
From CNN's Jonny Hallam and Josh Pennington
The Russian mission at the United Nations on Wednesday reiterated Moscow's earlier denials of involvement in a deadly explosion in Poland and claimed — without offering evidence or specifically naming any parties — that the incident was an attempt to bring NATO directly into the war in Ukraine.
Two people were killed Tuesday when what Polish authorities said was a "Russian-made missile" landed near the village of Przewodow, about four miles (6.4 kilometers) west from the Ukrainian border, roughly the same time as Moscow's forces launched their biggest wave of missile attacks on Ukrainian cities in more than a month.
"The facts indicate that Russia had nothing to do with the missiles [sic] hitting Polish territory," Russia's first deputy permanent representative at the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, said on Telegram. "The incident in Poland is an attempt to provoke a direct military clash between NATO and Russia."
Polyansky said the incident would be the focus of attention at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine later on Wednesday.
Some context: The circumstances surrounding the incident, including who fired the missile and where it was fired from, remain unclear. Both Ukraine and Russia have used Russian-made munitions during the almost nine-month conflict.
Following an emergency meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit, NATO and G7 leaders
Poland blast "would not have happened" without Russian missile attacks on Ukraine, Dutch PM says
From CNN's Mick Krever and Martin Goillandeau
The deadly explosion of a missile within Poland’s borders on Tuesday “would not have happened without Russia’s horrific missile attacks against Ukraine,” Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in a tweet on Wednesday.
Rutte tweeted a photo of the G7 heads of state alongside NATO members present at the G20 summit in Bali after an emergency meeting held by the group to discuss the incident.
He wrote that the leaders were "united in our message that we first need to establish the facts and therefore support Poland's investigation."
“One thing is clear: this would not have happened without Russia’s horrific missile attacks against Ukraine. We continue to support Ukraine in its defence against the Russian aggression,” he added in a second tweet.
Some context: The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear — including who fired the missile and where it was fired from. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces have used Russian-made munitions during the conflict, with Ukraine deploying Russian-made missiles as part of their air defense system.
Russia's foreign minister has left the G20 summit in Bali, state media reports
From CNN’s Wayne Chang
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov left Bali for Russia on Tuesday, a day before the G20 summit is due to conclude on the Indonesian island, according to Russian state media.
State-run news agency TASS reported Tuesday that Lavrov’s program at the G20 summit had ended "as expected," without reporting the exact time he departed.
During his time in Bali, Lavrov addressed the G20 and met with several leaders, including Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Remember: Russia's war against Ukraine has resulted in isolation for Moscow at this year’s G20 summit. Multiple Western leaders vowed not to have any contact with Lavrov, who attended on behalf of the Kremlin as Russian President Vladimir Putin stayed away.
CIA director visits Kyiv amid Russian missile strikes across Ukraine
From CNN's Katie Bo Lillis
CIA Director Bill Burns traveled to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his intelligence counterparts on Tuesday, according to a US official.
Burns, the official said, was safely in the US Embassy during Russian missile strikes across the country, including blasts that rocked the capital.
Burns’ trip to Kyiv came on the heels of a Monday meeting in Ankara, Turkey with his Russian intelligence counterpart, Sergey Naryshkin — and it is the second known time in less than a month that the CIA director has visited Kyiv.
While there, the official said, Burns “discussed the US warning he delivered to the head of Russia’s SVR not to use nuclear weapons and reinforced the US commitment to provide support to Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.”
Some context: The flurry of back-channel communications comes less than a week after Russia announced a withdrawal from the key Ukrainian city of Kherson and as a quiet debate has begun in Washington over whether or not to encourage Kyiv to pursue a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. It also comes as the US has grown increasingly concerned that Russia could turn to a nuclear weapon in its struggling war.
Burns and other US officials have said publicly they see no evidence that Moscow is actively preparing to take such a step, but officials familiar with the intelligence warn the risk is perhaps the highest it has been since Russia's invasion began in February.
G7 and NATO condemn "barbaric" attacks in Ukraine and offer support following Poland blast
From CNN's Allie Malloy, Angus Watson and Eric Cheung
NATO and G7 leaders released a joint statement following their emergency meeting on the margins of the G20, condemning the “barbaric missile attacks that Russia perpetrated on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure on Tuesday.”
Russia fired "around 100 missiles" at cities across Ukraine on Tuesday, Yurii Ihnat, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force command, said earlier.
At least a dozen cities and districts were targeted, according to a CNN analysis of the missile strikes. The wave of strikes appears to be the largest since Oct. 10, when Russia stepped up its campaign to destroy electricity, water and gas infrastructure across Ukraine.
The leaders also offered "full support" for Poland following an explosion in the country's east and said they would "remain in close touch" to determine the appropriate next steps.
"We all express our condolences to the families of the victims in Poland and Ukraine," the joint statement said.
World reacts: Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the international community should consider what is an "appropriate response" to the explosion in Poland. "Russia's reckless and dangerous use of force" had brought "danger for the entire region," he said. In a tweet, New Zealand's foreign minister condemned "Russia’s abhorrent targeting of civilian infrastructure in Ukraine" as a "grave breach of international law." Meanwhile, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry did not call out Russia specifically, but condemed “acts of war against other countries that violate the United Nations Charter and undermine peace.”
