Poland Halts MiG‑29 Transfer to Ukraine Over Unfulfilled Drone Exchange

Poland’s defence minister Władysław Kosiniak‑Kamysz announced that Warsaw will not deliver the remaining MiG‑29 fighter jets it had pledged to Ukraine. The decision follows the collapse of a “MiG‑29 for drones” arrangement in which Ukraine was to provide drone technology and operational know‑how in exchange for the aging Soviet‑era aircraft. Kosiniak‑Kamysz said Ukraine initially accepted the proposal but later withdrew, leaving “no MiGs for Ukraine because there are no drones or drone capabilities for Poland.”

Poland had already transferred 14 MiG‑29s to Kyiv in 2023 and had earmarked up to 14 more to replace its own Soviet‑type fleet with U.S. F‑16 and F‑35 jets. The stalled deal adds to a widening diplomatic rift sparked by Kyiv’s decision to honour the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a move condemned in Poland and linked to broader disputes over historical memory and future EU accession.

Ukraine’s air force has recently lost two of its MiG‑29s in combat, and Kyiv has signalled it will not fund further modernisation of the Polish aircraft. The impasse underscores the strain on Poland‑Ukraine military cooperation amid diverging political expectations.