‘Unprecedented act of sabotage’ aimed at Poland’s security, PM Tusk says
In further comments after his visit to the site of the incident this morning, Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk called it “an unprecedented act of sabotage aimed at the security of the Polish state and its citizens.”
“An investigation is under way. Just like in previous cases of this kind, we will catch the perpetrators, regardless of who their backers are,” he pledged.
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Morning opening: Poland confirms sabotage on railway
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We should get an update on the Polish rail sabotage investigation at 2pm Warsaw time (1pm London), when we are expecting a joint press conference of interior, justice, infrastructure and security services ministers.
I will keep an eye on this for you.
ShareInvestigation under way into acts on sabotage on Polish rail line to Ukraine — in picturesPolish prime minister Donald Tusk visits the site of a blast on railway of the Warsaw-Lublin line in Mika, Poland. Photograph: KPRM/ReutersSpecial forces and police investigate at the scene of a destroyed section of railway tracks on the Deblin-Warsaw route near the Mika railway station, central Poland. Photograph: Przemysław Piątkowski/EPASpecial forces and police investigate at the scene of a destroyed section of railway tracks on the Deblin-Warsaw route near the Mika railway station, central Poland. Photograph: Przemysław Piątkowski/EPAShare
Back to Poland, the country’s interior minister is hosting an emergency meeting on the train incidents, with transport, justice ministers, police and representatives of security services all attending.
“Poland is facing acts of sabotage unprecedented in its most recent history,” Marcin Kierwiński said in a social media post.
He added: “The [security] services are responding. One thing is certain: the guilty will answer for this act of aggression.”
Updated at 06.05 EST
Germany’s Merz highlights challenges amid changing relations with US, China, and new emerging world order
Over in Berlin, German chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned about “a deep rift” in Europe’s relations with the US, the growing threat from China and the rapidly progressing systemic challenges to the world order that required a united European response.
German chancellor Friedrich Merz delivers the opening speech at an economic summit hosted by German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung at the Adlon Hotel in Berlin. Photograph: Tobias Schwarz/AFP/Getty Images
In a wide-ranging speech at the Süddeutsche Zeitung’s Economic Summit, Merz said that Germany faced “a deep rift in transatlantic relations that calls into question almost everything that we have considered right and necessary for decades.”
He also pointedly warned about China, saying the regime is “becoming outwardly more aggressive, inwardly more repressive.”
Merz also spoke about the need to digitise and modernise the German state, and removing EU’s “excessive” bureaucracy, which he said risked “jeopardising the overall success” of the EU’s single market.
He said that “a new fundamental world order” was only emerging, marking the end of the “reasonable certainty” of life in the past few decades.
“We are facing international challenges that we as Europeans must answer together, with the ability to defend ourselves,” he said, adding that Europe faced “permanent” threats to its democracies, and freedoms.
Merz also spoke about the need for German and Europe to become more “sovereign” in emerging technologies, stressing the need to work closely with France, Poland, and even the UK, even after Brexit.
He also spoke at length about the challenges to global trade, saying that with the US under Donald Trump “we’re essentially witnessing an attempt to destroy the World Trade Organization.”
“I want to counter that,” he said, mounting a defence of the international trade system.
Updated at 05.50 EST
‘Up to’ 100 Rafale fighter jets, air defence equipment, drones covered by letter of intent between Zelenskyy, Macron
The Élysée Palace is now offering a bit more detail on what was covered by the letter of intent signed by Zelenskyy and Macron, including up to 100 French Rafale fighter jetsm additional air defence equipment and drones.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shake hands after signing an agreement at the Villacoublay airbase near Paris, France. Photograph: Christophe Ena/ReutersShareUkraine’s Zelenskyy lands in Paris to meet France’s Macron, discuss defence, energy cooperation
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is now in Paris for his day of meetings with France’s Emmanuel Macron and the French army.
French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy listen to national anthem at the Villacoublay air base near Paris. Photograph: Christophe Ena/AP
In the first few minutes of his visit, the pair have signed a letter of intent on defence purchases, standing in front of a Rafale jet fighter, rumoured to be part of the order.
A Rafale jet fighter is seen before the arrival of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Villacoublay airbase near Paris, France. Photograph: Christophe Ena/EPA
We should hear from them both around early lunchtime and I will bring you all the lines here.
Updated at 05.08 EST
Polish army to inspect tracks towards Ukraine amid sabotage concerns, minister says
Meanwhile, Poland’s defence minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, has said the army will now inspect the safety of the remaining 120km track going towards the border with Ukraine.
ShareRussia could test Nato ‘during next two or four years,’ EU defence commissioner warns
Meanwhile, EU defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius have warned that Russia could test Nato’s defences “during the next two or four years,” suggesting it could include an attack on a Baltic state.
European Commissioner for defence & space Andrius Kubilius delivers a speech at a conference last week Photograph: Olivier Matthys/EPA
Speaking at the “Defending Baltics 2025: War Lessons from Ukraine” conference in Vilnius this morning, Kubilius said the urgency of working out how to defend the Baltic region comes from “the public statements of our intelligence services, including from Germany, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, and from our region that Putin can be ready to test Article Five during next two or four years, before 2030.”
“We can just guess that in such a case, Baltic states will be one of the preferable targets of the new Kremlin aggression. It will be an aggression also against all of Nato and against all of European Union,” he said.
Kubilius insisted that EU and Nato countries needed to draw lessons from Ukraine’s gith against Russia and speed up their defence plans.
“My major message today: let’s ask Ukrainians how to be ready for defence, and how they can help us to be ready,” he said.
He was frustrated that it took EU countries years “to understand that we are not ready to detect Russian drones and to destroy them with cost effective means, despite the fact that all of us witnessed how drones are being massively used on the Ukrainian frontline.”
“We need to remember that if day X comes and Putin decides to test Article Five somewhere in the Baltic region, we shall face the aggression of a battle-tested Russian army which is now much stronger than it was back in February 2022, and is able to use millions of drones. … Are we really prepared for such a day X despite the fact that we do not have battle tested armies in the Baltic states?,” he asked.
ShareInvestigated sabotage ‘most likely intended to blow up’ train, Tusk says
In a further video update, Tusk said the explosion “most likely intended to blow up a train on the Warsaw-Dęblin route,” adding that another, similar, incident was reported farther east “on the same railway line”.
He said it was considered as “an attempt to destabilise and destroy railway infrastructure, which could have led to a rail disaster.”
“Unfortunately, there is no doubt that we are dealing with an act of sabotage. Fortunately, there was no tragedy, but the matter is nonetheless very serious,” he said.
“The case is developing and under investigation, but indeed, unfortunately, there is no doubt that we are dealing with deliberate action — an act of sabotage,” he said.
According to media reports, the other incident he referred to involved a passenger train carrying 475 passengers near Puławy in south-eastern Poland.
Share‘Unprecedented act of sabotage’ aimed at Poland’s security, PM Tusk says
In further comments after his visit to the site of the incident this morning, Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk called it “an unprecedented act of sabotage aimed at the security of the Polish state and its citizens.”
“An investigation is under way. Just like in previous cases of this kind, we will catch the perpetrators, regardless of who their backers are,” he pledged.
Share‘No doubt’ about sabotage, Poland’s interior minister says, with another part of same railway route also investigated
Poland’s interior minister Marcin Kierwiński also just issued a brief update, saying “there is no doubt that we are dealing with an act of sabotage.”
“Another section of this strategic railway route, where the tracks were damaged, is also being investigated,” he said.
Updated at 03.45 EST
Morning opening: Poland confirms sabotage on railway
Jakub Krupa
In the last few minutes, Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk has said that yesterday’s disruption on a busy railway route between Warsaw and Lublin in eastern Poland was confirmed as caused by an explosive device placed on the track.
“Unfortunately, [our] worst fears have been confirmed. On the Warsaw-Lublin route (Mika village), an act of sabotage has occurred. The explosion of an explosive device destroyed the railway track,” he said.
More damage was found elsewhere on the same line, Tusk said, prompting concerns about deliberate targeting of the route, which is used among others to facilitate aid deliveries to Ukraine.
Tusk said that “emergency services and the prosecutor’s office are working at the scene.”
Donald Tusk visiting the site of suspected sabotage in Mika (Garwolin County). Photograph: Twitter/X
The incident was reported on Sunday morning after a driver of a regional passenger train had spotted a missing part of the track, triggering an investigation into the causes of the damage.
The incident will cause further concern in Poland which remains on high alert amid continuing hybrid threats from Russia and Belarus, after more than 20 drones flew into Polish airspace in September, prompting a Nato response.
Expect more reactions from Poland and allies.
But the main event of the day will come a bit later as Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy flies to Paris to meet with the country’s president, Emmanuel Macron, and discuss the latest on Ukraine and bilateral cooperation on defence, energy, and the economy.
The President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron welcomes Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine in September. Photograph: Jeanne Accorsini/SIPA/Shutterstock
Elsewhere,
Finland’s influential president Alexander Stubb is in Brussels to meet with the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte
German finance minister and vice-chancellor Lars Klingbeil is in China for talks on trade
Czech Republic and Slovakia mark the 36th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution
I will bring you all the latest here.
It’s Monday, 17 November 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
Updated at 04.06 EST