Poland is moving forward in the final phase of preparations to transfer up to nine MiG-29 fighters of Soviet origin to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, within the framework of military cooperation between both countries. The political decision has already been adopted and technical consultations related to logistics, maintenance, and the terms of technological exchange are currently being developed.
In an interview granted to the program On the Record, the Deputy Defense Minister of Poland, Paweł Zalewski, confirmed that the process is underway. “The decision [of the government] has been taken,” he stated. As he detailed, conversations with Kyiv continue on the technical level: “We are waiting for the response from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. The discussions are ongoing… they are completely technical discussions.”
Zalewski indicated that the initial delivery will include “fewer than ten” aircraft, a figure that aligns with previous estimates made by Polish authorities. In December, also Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk had pointed out that “six to eight” MiG-29 fighters were near the end of their operational life within the Polish Air Force and could be transferred to Ukraine as part of a technological exchange agreement.
Consulted about the Ukrainian acceptance of the proposal, Zalewski maintained that Kyiv had already given its conformity. “I believe the Ukrainians made the decision to accept this offer. Of course, there are some technical aspects that must be clarified, as always,” he explained.
In parallel, just as we had reported a few days ago, the former Minister of National Defense of Poland, Janusz Onyszkiewicz, confirmed in statements to Ukrinform that technical consultations could extend until the end of January, while the delivery of the aircraft could materialize in February. “The decision on the transfer has already been taken, only technical issues remain. Currently, negotiations are being carried out regarding the transfer of certain information on the production of drones and missiles from Ukraine to Poland,” he noted.
Onyszkiewicz added that Warsaw is also evaluating the sending of a new military assistance package that would include spare parts for equipment already delivered. These efforts would add to the previous support provided by Poland, which has already supplied Ukraine with tanks, artillery, and ammunition since the beginning of the Russian invasion in 2022.
Ukraine’s interest in the Polish MiG-29s had been publicly expressed by President Volodymyr Zelensky during an official visit to Warsaw in December. On that occasion, the leader highlighted that Ukrainian pilots are already trained to operate this fighter model, which would allow for their incorporation without the need for a retraining process. Zelensky also remarked that Ukraine “has never exerted pressure on Poland” to finalize the transfer.
On the other hand, Zalewski addressed issues of regional policy and European security. The official backed Estonia’s decision to ban the granting of tourist visas to Russian veterans and announced that he will propose similar measures at the European Union level. “Definitely,” he responded when consulted about that possibility. “I will speak with my colleagues responsible for this issue in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
Finally, the deputy minister reaffirmed Poland’s position regarding the role of NATO and the centrality of the United States in the European security architecture. “There is no NATO without the United States,” he maintained, while dismissing the need for an alternative plan for continental defense. “The European Union is not a competitor to NATO. We see in practice how the Americans behave; there is no need to focus on a plan B.”
*Images for illustrative purposes.
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