The Pentagon dismissed on Tuesday as not tenable Poland’s proposal to put its Russian-made fighting jets at the disposal of the United States free of charge at a base in Germany.
Warsaw, one of the more outspoken Ukraine’s supporters since the invasion of the country began on February 24, has offered all its MiG-29s to Rammstein Air Base in Germany in response to Saturday’s plea from the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for fighter jets.
Poland’s Foreign Ministry also asked the US to provide them with used aircraft with corresponding operational capabilities pointing that Poland is ready to immediately establish the conditions of buying the planes.
Urging other NATO members that own planes of that type to do the same, the Polish Foreign Ministry also quoted Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki in saying that Russian President Putin will never seek to expand his empire.
Refusing Poland’s offer, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said that the prospect of the jets’ departing from a US/ NATO base in Germany to airspace contested with Russia over Ukraine raises serious concerns for the entire alliance.
Kirby however noted that Washington will continue to consult with Warsaw and the other NATO allies about this issue and the difficult logistical challenges it presents.
Slavic countries are providing increasing support – both in humanitarian efforts and military support- to Ukraine as fighting across Ukraine continues. Many Eastern European air forces fly Russian-made warplanes which means that Ukrainians could pilot the planes without additional training if such aircraft is transferred to Ukraine.
US lawmakers also pressured Biden’s administration on Monday to help with the transfer of fighter aircraft from Poland and other NATO and Eastern European countries to Ukraine.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez demanded in a letter to State Secretary Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for Washington to replace any donated jets with upgraded Western aircraft, including through subsidized pricing, concessionary financing, and loans.
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