Polish President Andrzej Duda said his country would deliver four MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine in “the next few days”, making Poland the first NATO country to supply fighter planes to Ukraine.
Following the announcement by Poland, another NATO member Slovakia also said it would send 13 MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine in the coming weeks.
The Ukrainian Air Force already operates MiG-29 jets, which means they will likely be able to use the aircraft immediately without training. Ukraine had inherited several dozen of MiG-29s following the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, but it’s unclear how many remain in service after more than a year since the Russian invasion in 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Slovakia on Friday for “a powerful package of air and air defense weapons, including MiG aircraft.”
Ukraine has long requested fighter jets from Westend allies and hss especially been asking for U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, but the Biden administration has repeatedly turned down the request.
The White House called Poland’s move a sovereign decision and praised Poland for its overall security assistance for Ukraine, saying the country was “punching above its weight.”
However, it said the move would have no bearing on the decision of United States. “There’s no change in our view with respect to fighter aircraft at this time,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. “That is our sovereign decision. That is where we are, other nations can speak to their own” decisions.