Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
White House: The US is monitoring a troubling Serbian military deployment along the border of Kosovo that is causing tensions.
White House: Serbia and Kosovo must fulfill their commitments and avoid taking any provocative steps.
White House spokesperson John Kirby urges Serbia to withdraw its forces from its borders with Kosovo.
Hezbollah condemns terrorist blasts carried out against worshippers in Pakistan.
NATO: Decision to deploy additional forces to address the current situation in Kosovo.
Al Mayadeen correspondent reports more than 50 people were injured when a bomb exploded in the Mastung area of the Pakistani province of Balochistan.
Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib: The assassinations were scheduled to be carried out on Saturday with the aim of stirring up national and sectarian strifes in the country
Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib: A series of attempts to assassinate a number of Sunni scholars, judges, and IRGC officers was thwarted
Twin shootings in Rotterdam led to multiple deaths: Dutch police
Dutch Police: Rotterdam shooter arrested

Biden slams Zelensky's denial of missiles, 'That is not the evidence'

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 17 Nov 2022 09:58
  • 3 Shares
  • x

This cries out trouble between the arms-thirsty country and its supplier.

  • US President Joe Biden has addressed the situation in Poland following a meeting with G7 and European leaders on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Nusa Dua in Bali. Photo: SAUL LOEB
    US President Joe Biden has addressed the situation in Poland following a meeting with G7 and European leaders on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali. (SAUL LOEB)

In response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's denial that Ukrainian missiles were fired from Poland, US President Joe Biden said, "That is not the evidence," according to a statement released by the White House press pool on Thursday.

When aides abruptly woke Biden up in the middle of the night on the other side of the globe, they informed him that a missile had struck Poland and killed two people.

By 5:30 am local time in Bali, where the President was taking part in the G20 summit, Biden was on the phone with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda looking for clarification on where the missiles had actually originated.

This information was crucial because a Russian missile strike on a NATO ally could initiate a war or any other fatal consequences. 

Read next: Ukraine unlikely to be able to push Russia out entirely: US general

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was traveling with Biden, had also been roused with a knock on the door by his body man around 4 am local time with news of the explosion, a US official said – news that most US officials only discovered from public reports and conversations with Polish officials.

Zelensky stated in his nightly address that "Russian missiles hit Poland" about an hour after the news of the incident first broke. He described it as "a very significant escalation" that necessitated a response. He was trying to initiate a war. 

After making those comments, Sullivan immediately called Zelensky's office and pleaded with officials to be more circumspect in how they discussed the incident, according to sources familiar with the call.

Related News

Belarus says Polish helicopter violated airspace amid rising tensions

Germany increases border control with Poland, Czech Republic

Despite the Ukrainian President's requests to set up a call, Biden and Zelensky did not speak on Tuesday night, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Chaos at the Pentagon

When an aide interrupted their meeting on Tuesday in Washington to break the news of the explosion, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley immediately called their Polish counterparts.

A press conference with Pentagon Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder was scheduled for a short while later, at around 2 pm.

However, the Pentagon had no evidence to support a Russian missile launch that struck NATO territory, and some Pentagon officials had just learned about a missile hitting Poland from the media.

Officials at the Pentagon had to decide whether to proceed despite having almost no information to share on what quickly rose to the top of the day's priorities.

Read next: Missiles that hit Poland 'likely caused' by Ukraine: NATO chief

Ultimately, one official told CNN the press shop went ahead with the press conference because they believed that calling off the event at the last minute would cause the exact kind of panic that they were trying to prevent.

Ryder took repeated inquiries about the missile for which he had no responses as he stood at the podium.

According to officials, Milley was directing his staff to line up phone calls while he was in his office in the Pentagon's outer ring. His Polish counterpart spoke first, then his Ukrainian counterpart. Milley spoke to other defense chiefs and to Gen. Chris Cavoli, chief of the European Command, who was also jumping from one call to the other.

Read next: Poland puts armed forces on heightened readiness

  • Poland
  • Pentagon
  • Russia
  • Volodymyr Zelensky
  • Ukraine
  • Joe Biden
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Most Read

Russia destroyed leopard tank in Ukraine with fully-German crew

Russia destroyed leopard tank in Ukraine with fully-German crew

  • Europe
  • 23 Sep 2023
Blinken’s ‘Variable Geometry’ for a New Cold War

Blinken’s ‘Variable Geometry’ for a New Cold War

  • Analysis
  • 24 Sep 2023
BBC from the front lines in Ukraine: It's bad, counteroffensive failed

BBC from the front lines in Ukraine: It's bad, counteroffensive failed

  • Europe
  • 28 Sep 2023
Zelensky joins Canadian Parliament’s ovation to WWII Nazi soldier

Zelensky joins Canadian Parliament’s ovation to WWII Nazi soldier

  • US & Canada
  • 25 Sep 2023

Coverage

All
Morocco & Libya Disasters

Read Next

All
In this photo provided by the Serbian Presidential Press Service, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic speaks during a press conference in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023. (AP)
Europe

Vucic says Belgrade 'must adhere to the truth' despite US warning

House of Representatives, foreground, side of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023 (AP)
US & Canada

House rejects Republicans' short-term funding bill: reports

Sen. Rand Paul walking into the senate, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023 (AP)
Europe

Senator opposes including Ukraine aid in short-term funding extension

Cemetary monument in Canada raising eyebrows after parliament mishap
US & Canada

Canada Nazi monument prompts discord after parliament hailed SS office

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS