Poland conditions MiG-29 deliveries to Ukraine on NATO airspace security

Warsaw is unable to supply Ukraine with MiG-29 fighter jets until NATO provides assurances for the protection of Poland's airspace, said Polish President Andrzej Duda.

The Polish leader stated that they had expressed to Volodymyr Zelenskyy their willingness to provide the MiG-29 fighter jets, on the condition that Western aircraft would temporarily protect Polish airspace, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

"Later, we would then receive aircraft that our pilots could fly," he added.

Earlier, Duda stated that Kyiv no longer views Warsaw as a key partner due to the reduced pace of military assistance and the inability to increase it. According to him, Zelenskyy is under the influence of major powers supplying arms and largely makes decisions under their pressure.

In 2023, the Polish President announced that Poland may eventually send its entire fleet of MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, though this would only happen “in the future” if Ukraine requires further support.

This statement follows Poland’s recent commitment to deliver 14 Soviet-made MiG-29 jets to Ukraine as part of ongoing military assistance.

“I believe that, in the future, we will be in a position to transfer all remaining MiG-29 jets to Ukraine, should there still be a need,” Duda said during a press conference held alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

However, Duda emphasised that any such transfer would need approval from NATO allies, as Poland’s remaining MiG-29s have been “adapted to NATO standards.”

“We’ll still need a few ourselves,” he explained, suggesting that Poland could pass on its older MiG-29s as it begins receiving newer fighter jets, including South Korea’s FA-50 and American-made F-35s.

By Aghakazim Guliyev