war in Ukraine
Poland: Do not deliver fighter jets to Ukraine
The Polish government – here in the picture President Andrzej Duda – contradicts rumors about fighter jet deliveries to Ukraine. Photo: Kay Nietfeld/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Rumor has it that Poland is to supply fighter jets to Ukraine, and the United States has confirmed such considerations. But Poland denies it.
Poland has again denied reports that the country plans to supply Ukraine with Soviet-designed fighter jets.
“Poland will not send its fighter jets to Ukraine, nor will it allow its airports to be used. We help a lot in many other areas,” the government in Warsaw said on Twitter on Sunday.
She referred to a statement by the Polish General Staff on Thursday. It said that all Polish MiG-29 fighter jets remained at their home bases and that they were also marked with the red and white national emblem of the Polish Air Force.
Several media had previously reported that Poland would provide MiG fighter jets to Ukraine in exchange for F-16 fighter jets from the United States.
USA confirms considerations
At a press conference in Moldova, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed such considerations in response to a question: “We are currently actively looking at the question of aircraft that Poland could supply to Ukraine. And how we could then deliver if Poland decides (…) to deliver these planes.” There is no timetable for this, but you look at it “very, very actively”.
A government spokesman in Warsaw said the discussion about handing over the aircraft was still ongoing and that no decision had yet been made. It also does not correspond to the facts that planes take off from Poland for combat purposes in the territory of Ukraine.
Blinken said they are in talks with the Ukrainian government about what is needed there. “Once we get that assessment, we’ll see what we and our allies and partners can deliver,” Blinken said. He reminded that within a year the United States had already provided more than $1 billion in support for Ukraine’s security.