Poland considers delivering Soviet-made fighter jets to Ukraine
Poland will consider the possibility of delivering MiG-29 aircraft, which it has in service, to the Ukrainian Army, and in future will also join the broad coalition of countries willing to supply F-16 fighter jets, Polish President Andrzej Duda told the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform.
According to Duda, it takes months to train a F-16 pilot. But if Kyiv is provided with MiG-29 or Su aircraft, then Ukrainian pilots "are ready to fly them almost immediately."
"In fact, they could just fly home right away. Therefore, without a doubt, if the MiG-29 aircraft are delivered, they will be able to immediately strengthen the defense of Ukraine, and this is very important. Of course, very few NATO countries have MiG aircraft. We have a few more such aircraft, and we will consider this issue," Duda said.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, speaking at the Munich International Conference, also expressed readiness to supply Ukraine with MiG-29 fighter jets. "We don't have many F-16s, but we agree to supply the other type of fighters we have as part of NATO's decision," the Polish Prime Minister said.
In January, Morawiecki said that the delivery of F-16 multirole fighters or other aircraft to Ukraine is possible only in close coordination with other NATO allies, as was the case with leopard tanks.
From the very beginning of the war, Ukraine has been asking to close the skies over the country or provide it with modern aircraft so that it can do it on its own. However, Kyiv's Western partners, fearing an escalation of the conflict, are delaying the resolution of this issue. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has already unequivocally stated that Germany will not transfer modern fighters to Ukraine in order not to raise the stakes.