In a historic move, Poland has become the first NATO member to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine, which is facing a brutal invasion by Russia. Poland's president Andrzej Duda announced on Thursday that his country plans to give Ukraine around a dozen MiG-29 fighter jets, which are Soviet-made warplanes with some advanced targeting capabilities .
Duda said that Poland would hand over four of the planes "within the next few days" and that the rest needed servicing and would be supplied later. He added that the MiGs are "in the last years of their functioning but they are in good working condition". He also said that the MiGs are "aircraft that Ukrainian pilots can use today without additional training".
Poland's decision was welcomed by Ukraine, which has been pleading for Western supporters to share fighter jets for months. Ukraine's air force spokesman Yuriy Ignat said: "MiGs will not solve the problems, we need F-16s. But the MiGs will help to strengthen our capabilities". Ukraine had several dozen MiG-29s it inherited in the collapse of the Soviet Union, but it's unclear how many of them remain in service after more than a year of fighting.
Poland was also joined by Slovakia, which said it would give Ukraine its fleet of 13 Soviet-era MiG-29s. Slovakia's prime minister Eduard Heger announced the unanimous decision of his government on Friday. Slovakia grounded its fleet last year and no longer uses the jets.
Poland and Slovakia are among the few NATO countries that still have MiG-29s in their arsenals. Most NATO members have replaced them with newer models like F-16s or F-35s. Poland's defense minister Mariusz Blaszczak said Poland wanted to transfer MiG-29s to Ukraine "as part of a broader coalition of states". He said he was open to other participants but did not name them.
Poland's move was seen as a bold gesture of solidarity with Ukraine, which shares a long border and historical ties with Poland. Poland has been a crucial ally in the Ukraine crisis. It is hosting thousands of American troops and is taking in more people fleeing the war in Ukraine than any other nation, in the midst of the largest European refugee crisis in decades. It has suffered invasions and occupations by Russia for centuries and still fears Russia despite being a member of NATO.
However, Poland's move also provoked a harsh reaction from Russia, which denounced the "increasing involvement" of NATO countries in the conflict. A Kremlin spokesperson said Friday that the Mig-29 fighter planes that Poland and Slovakia will soon deliver to Ukraine will be "destroyed". He added: "The delivery of this military equipment, as we have repeatedly said, cannot affect the outcome" of the conflict.
Meanwhile, other NATO allies have expressed hesitancy about sending fighter jets to Ukraine. The US has publicly opposed the delivery of combat aircraft to Ukraine, saying it could escalate the war. White House spokesman John Kirby said Thursday: "It does not change our analysis (...) It's not on the table" . Other NATO members have also been reluctant to provide lethal weapons or military assistance to Ukraine, preferring diplomatic pressure and economic sanctions on Russia.