Poland has entered into talks on donating more MiG-29 fighter aircraft to Ukraine, with Warsaw expecting in return to receive access to drone and missile technologies from Kyiv.
Polish defence minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, who serves in the centre-left government led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, confirmed the ongoing talks. In an interview for Polish Government controlled radio broadcaster Radio Trójka today, he said Poland was willing to “give up the remaining MiG fighter planes as it successively modernises its air force with more modern fighter planes”.
Kosiniak-Kamysz also said Ukraine has “made a historic leap in drone and anti-drone capabilities” in the three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion. He said Poland was interested in benefiting from that experience.
The MiG-29 was developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s and entered service in 1983.
According to Poland’s military, the MiG fighter jets are reaching their target operational lifespans and lack prospects for modernisation, with their tasks being taken over by US-made F-16s and South Korean FA-50s.
In August, Poland entered into an agreement with the US worth $3.8 billion (€3.2 billion) to modernise the entire Polish fleet of 48 F-16 fighter aircraft. In 2026, the first F-35 stealth combat aircraft already ordered by Poland will begin to arrive, alongside the first FA-50 aircraft from South Korea.
The Polish General Staff has issued a statement saying: “The donation of the MiG 29 aircraft will be an element of the allied policy of supporting Ukraine and maintaining security on NATO’s eastern flank.”
It added, though: “At the same time, in connection with the transfer of the aircraft, negotiations are being conducted with the Ukrainian side regarding the provision of selected drone and missile technologies to Poland.
“The goal is not only to compensate Poland for the loss of equipment, but above all to acquire and jointly develop new defence and industrial competencies.”
The talks were triggered by an agreement between Poland and Ukraine reached in late September that set up a working group on the sharing of expertise and experience in the area of drone warfare.
That came in the wake of September’s violation of Polish airspace by more than 20 Russian decoy drones. Although they were shot down by fighter planes, the incident led to criticism that Poland had no effective air defence from drones and that it was behind the curve in the field of drone warfare in general.
Since the onset of war in Ukraine, Poland has donated 14 of its MiG-29 fighter planes to Kyiv, with these planes being used for patrols and countering missiles and drones as well as ground attacks using guided bombs.
There was some controversy over that donation as it came shortly after the outbreak of the conflict with Poland originally wanting the MiGs to be transferred officially by the NATO alliance but the US unwilling for it to be seen as a joint action.
Poland in 2022 also gave Ukraine nearly 300 post-Soviet tanks as they could be put into use immediately with Ukrainian personnel used to operating these armoured vehicles.
In a similar vein, Ukraine has long used MiF fighter jets and they can be used immediately by Ukrainian pilots without the need for additional training.
Relations between Poland and Ukraine have become strained in the years since 2022, when Poland gave immediate humanitarian assistance to millions of Ukrainian refugees and speedy military aid, The tension has come because of spats over history, grain imports and lately the limitation of social welfare rights of migrants.
The talks on exchanging the MiG fighters for access to drone technology and the beginning of exhumations of the Second World War’s Volhynia massacre of Poles by Ukrainians are hoped to improve relations.
The fact that Ukraine has not been pressing for Poland to be a part of the peace negotiations with Russia is causing irritation in Warsaw, though.
There has also been some tension about the opposition Conservatives (PiS)-aligned Polish President Karol Nawrocki, who has in the past criticised Ukraine and submitted legislation to parliament to outlaw Ukrainian nationalist symbols.
He has insisted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should visit him in response to Zelensky’s invitation for Nawrocki to visit Ukraine first.
Zelensky has now relented and is willing to come to Warsaw once dates can be worked out.
