Poland explained why Ukraine did not receive MiG-29 fighters. Itʼs because of the refusal to share drone technologies

Poland will not transfer MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine because Kyiv refused to share drone production technologies.

This was stated by the Minister of National Defense of Poland Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Polsat News reports.

He said he offered Ukraine a partnership approach: “MiGs in exchange for drones”. According to him, Kyiv initially accepted the offer, but later rejected it.

The Polish minister also acknowledged that Ukraine has significant potential in the field of drones and has recently begun cooperating with Middle Eastern countries in this area.

"Ukraine has such significant capabilities in the field of drones that, in response to the military equipment transferred to it, it could share know-how with Poland and partially provide access to technologies," said Kosiniak-Kamysh.

However, in his statement, he did not call it a mistake to send military equipment to Ukraine at the beginning of a full-scale Russian invasion without any conditions. Kosiniak-Kamysh says he would have done the same.

• Poland said about the transfer of MiGs to Ukraine back in December 2025. Zelensky then noted that Ukraine needs MiG-29 aircraft, because Ukrainian pilots already have experience flying them and "the issue is not a shortage of aircraft, but a shortage of pilots".
• The Polish General Staff noted that these aircraft will be decommissioned and replaced with F-16 and FA-50 fighters. The Deputy Minister of Defense of Poland Cezary Tomczyk said on December 14 that this is about 6-8 aircraft out of 14 available in Poland.
• In February 2026, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reported a new, 48th aid package for Ukraine. It included MiG-29 fighter jets.
• Polandʼs Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski stated on June 17 that Ukraine is not interested in receiving MiG-29s from the country. He said that Kyiv wants to receive aircraft that are adapted to modern combat conditions, and Warsaw is not ready for such expenses.

Author: Khrystyna Pitsuriak

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