Poland Suspends MiG-29 Transfer to Ukraine After Kyiv Refuses to Share Drone Technology

Poland Suspends MiG-29 Transfer to Ukraine After Kyiv Refuses to Share Drone Technology

Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has announced that Poland will no longer transfer additional MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter jets to Ukraine, citing Kyiv's refusal to share drone production technology in return. The decision marks a significant shift in Poland's Ukraine policy and represents the latest sign of deteriorating relations between Warsaw and Kyiv.

MiG-29-for-Drone-Technology Deal Collapses

Speaking to Polish broadcaster Polsat News, Kosiniak-Kamysz stated: "I put forward a proposal that I considered very much in the spirit of partnership — MiGs in exchange for drones. Ukraine initially agreed, but they did not honor that arrangement. Therefore, there will be no MiGs for Ukraine, because Poland currently has neither drones nor the capability to operate them."

The minister also acknowledged Ukraine's considerable strengths in the defense technology sector: "Ukraine has very strong capabilities in the drone field, and in return it could have shared its know-how with Poland and provided access to some of that technology."

The War Zone, which originally reported the story, was unable to independently verify the minister's account, and Ukraine has not yet issued a public response.

A Shift from the Previous Government's Policy

Poland made history under former President Andrzej Duda by becoming the first country to pledge fighter jets to Ukraine, donating an initial batch of 14 MiG-29s. However, under President Karol Nawrocki — who took office last August — Warsaw now demands tangible compensation before supplying additional aircraft.

In December, Nawrocki confirmed at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Poland was seeking MiG-29s in exchange for counter-drone systems. "We are looking for a symmetric strategic partnership," he said at the time. "Trading MiGs for counter-drone systems does not contradict our policy."

Kosiniak-Kamysz was careful not to criticize his predecessors: "They did the right thing — in fact, I would have done even more, and I did do so. Their approach was correct; Ukraine was in a much more difficult position then."

Echoing Trump's 'Reciprocal Ally' Stance

Poland's position aligns closely with that of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized the Biden administration for providing unconditional military aid to Ukraine and accused NATO members of failing to contribute adequately to their own defense.

Rapid Deterioration of Polish-Ukrainian Relations

Kosiniak-Kamysz's announcement comes amid a sharp decline in Polish-Ukrainian relations. Earlier this month, President Nawrocki stripped Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle — Poland's highest state honor — further inflaming a dispute rooted in conflicting narratives over World War II history.

According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Zelensky this month named a military unit after a WWII-era partisan force linked to the massacre of Polish civilians, a move that provoked strong outrage in Warsaw.

For much of the conflict, Poland has been one of Ukraine's most steadfast allies, serving as a key logistics hub and providing substantial military assistance. Poland's initial MiG-29 donation helped open the door for several other NATO members to transfer dozens of additional aircraft, followed later by F-16 Vipers and French Mirage 2000s.

Ukraine's Continuing Need for MiG-29s

Despite having received more advanced Western aircraft, Zelensky has continued to argue that Ukraine still needs MiG-29s because its pilots are already trained on the type, according to Ukraine's United24 media outlet. He noted that transitioning to the F-16 requires a lengthy retraining period that temporarily reduces combat readiness, whereas the MiG-29 allows Ukraine to maintain immediate air combat capability.

According to open-source tracking organization Oryx, Ukraine has lost at least 88 aircraft of all types since the war began, including at least 38 MiG-29s, 20 Su-27 Flankers, 4 F-16s, and 1 Mirage. Since Oryx records only visually confirmed losses, actual figures may be higher.

In recent incidents, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that a MiG-29 crashed on June 27 during a nighttime combat mission over the central Poltava region, while a Su-24M bomber also went down earlier this month, killing both crew members.

Ukraine Courts Arab Nations for Defense Technology Cooperation

As the Poland-Ukraine dispute continues, Kyiv has signed a series of defense technology cooperation agreements with several Arab states following the U.S.-Israeli "Operation Epic Fury" strike campaign against Iran. After Iran retaliated against multiple Arab countries with missiles and drones, those nations turned to Ukraine — which has accumulated extensive air-defense experience over more than four years of fending off Russian drone and missile attacks.

Earlier this week, Ukraine and Kuwait signed a bilateral defense cooperation agreement, laying the groundwork for joint defense projects, military technology collaboration, and defense industry cooperation. During Zelensky's visit to the Middle East earlier this year, he also announced defense cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, while holding consultations with Jordan.

It remains unclear whether these agreements played any role in Poland's decision to withhold the MiG-29s, or whether the breakdown will affect other drone cooperation negotiations Zelensky is actively pursuing. In any case, while 14 additional Fulcrums would not be sufficient to alter the course of the war, Poland's refusal to transfer them is a stark reminder that one of Ukraine's once-closest alliances is now under severe strain.

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