Poland Receives NATO Ally Request for Its MiG‑29 Fighter Jets

Poland’s deputy defence minister Paweł Ksawery Zalewski announced that an unnamed NATO member has asked Warsaw to transfer Soviet‑era MiG‑29 fighter jets that were originally slated for delivery to Ukraine. He said negotiations with Kyiv remain the priority and did not specify which ally made the proposal, though Bulgaria was mentioned as a possible candidate.

Ukraine is reportedly no longer seeking the Polish MiG‑29s because Poland has refused to maintain the aircraft. Poland had previously planned to hand over six to eight MiG‑29s to Ukraine by the end of 2025. Russian officials have criticised any such transfers, arguing they draw NATO members deeper into the conflict and could become legitimate targets for Russian strikes.