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May 28, 2022
Pentagon rejects Poland’s offer of MIG 29 jets to give to Ukraine
The Pentagon on Tuesday rejected Poland’s offer to give the US its MIG 29 fighter jets to be used by Ukraine in its fight against Russian troops.
“We will continue consulting with our Allies and partners about our ongoing security assistance to Ukraine, because, in fact, Poland’s proposal shows just some of the complexities this issue presents,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement,
“The prospect of fighter jets ‘at the disposal of the Government of the United States of America’ departing from a US/NATO base in Germany to fly into airspace that is contested with Russia over Ukraine raises serious concerns for the entire NATO alliance.”
On Tuesday, the Polish government announced that it was ready to send all its MiG-29 fighter jets to a US military base in Germany. It had also urged other NATO countries to send their own fighter jets of a similar type.
The Pentagon said that while the decision to transfer Polish-owned planes is ultimately of the Polish government, it added that it “is simply not clear” that “there is a substantive rationale for it.”
“We will continue to consult with Poland and our other NATO allies about this issue and the difficult logistical challenges it presents, but we do not believe Poland’s proposal is a tenable one,” the statement said.
After Poland’s offer on Tuesday, officials in the White House said that they were caught unaware. Undersecretary of state Victoria Nuland told lawmakers at a hearing on the Ukraine crisis that she learned of Poland’s plans only while driving to the hearing. “To my knowledge, it wasn’t pre-consulted with us,” Nuland said.
On Sunday, Russia’s Defence Ministry said that any country that allows Ukrainian-operated airplanes to use their soil to attack the Russian military could be considered a participant in the conflict.
ARTICLE: PAUL MURDOCH
MANAGING EDITOR: CARSON CHOATE
PHOTO CREDITS: INDEPENDENT
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Paul, 37, is from Scotland in the UK, but currently lives and works in Bangkok. Paul has worked in different industries such as telemarketing, retail, hospitality, farming, insurance, and teaching, where he works now. He teaches at an all-girls High School in Bangkok. “It’s a lot of work, but I love my job.”
Paul has an active interest in politics. His reason for writing for FBA is to offer people the facts and allow them to make up their own minds. Whilst he believes opinion columns have their place, it is also important that people can have accurate news with no bias.
