Ukrainian president remains hopeful for MiG-29 jet transfer from Poland

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope that Kyiv will still acquire Soviet-made MiG-29 fighter jets from Poland, despite Warsaw not yet approving the transfer.

Speaking at a meeting with representatives of districts and hromadas in Zakarpattia Oblast, Zelenskyy said Kyiv had an "agreement" with NATO which provides for the creation of an air patrol mission in Poland, modelled on a similar agreement with the Baltic States, News.Az reports, citing Ukrainian media.

"We have reached an agreement with NATO that they would send a police mission [to Poland], just like our friends in the Baltics who do not have their own aircraft, but have a similar mission. We have reached an agreement, but has Poland transferred the aircraft to us? No. Did they find another reason [not to do it]? Yes," Zelenskyy said.

He also said Ukraine was engaged in talks with Poland regarding shooting down Russian missiles headed towards Poland.

"We have always asked them to shoot down missiles headed towards Poland. We have a gas storage facility there, the city of Stryi… We don’t have enough [air defence] systems to protect the gas storage facility. What do the Poles do? Do they shoot the missiles down? No. The Poles have said that they are prepared to shoot them down if they’re not alone in this decision, if they get NATO’s support," Zelenskyy explained.

News.Az