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WARSAW, POLAND (AP) — Poland announced on Thursday plans to deliver about a dozen MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. To protect fighters from Russian aggression.
President Andrzej Duda said Warsaw will hand over four of its Soviet fighters “within the next few days”, with the rest needing repair but to be supplied later. rice field. The Polish word he used for the total number means between 11 and 19.
“They are in their last year of functioning, but they are doing well,” Duda said.
Slovakia said it would send its own disused MiGs, but did not say whether other countries would follow suit. to Ukraine. Poland was also the first her NATO member to provide Ukraine with German-made Leopard 2 tanks.
On Wednesday, Polish government spokesman Piotr Müller said several other countries: also promised MiGs to Kiev, but did not specify them. Both Poland and Slovakia had indicated they were ready to deliver their own aircraft, but only as part of the wider United Nations doing the same.
The government of neighboring NATO member Germany seemed caught off guard by Duda’s announcement.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters: “So far, everyone agrees that it’s not the time to send fighters.” “There is still no confirmation from Poland that this has happened.”
The White House called Poland’s move a sovereignty decision and praised Poland for continuing to “punch beyond its weight” in support of Kiev, but the move did not support the U.S. F-16 to Ukraine.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said, “At this time, there is no change in our position on fighter jets. It’s our sovereign decision. That’s where we are. A place where other countries can talk about their decisions.
The White House said Poland had notified the US of its decision to provide the MiGs before Duda announced the move.
Before Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine had dozens of MiG-29s it inherited from the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, but after more than a year of fighting, several have been destroyed. It is unknown whether he remains in active service.
discussion Debate began last year on whether to provide fighter jets to non-NATO member Ukraine, but NATO allies expressed concern over the alliance’s escalating role in the war. Even as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pleaded more vocally, the hesitation persisted. For Western supporters to share fighters.
Duda made the announcement at a joint press conference with Czech President Petr Pavel, who is visiting in Warsaw.
Duda said the Polish Air Force will replace the planes supplied to Ukraine with South Korean-made FA-50 fighters and American-made F-35s.
Poland has provided significant assistance to Ukraine during the war. It has hosted thousands of American troops and has hosted more Ukrainians than any other country during the refugee exodus caused by the Russian invasion.
The Central European country has experienced Russian aggression and occupation for centuries and still fears Russia despite being a member of NATO.
___ Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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