Poland says the switch of its remaining MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine stays on maintain pending the finalization of a reciprocal settlement for the switch of Ukrainian drone know-how.
5 months after Poland confirmed the need to switch its remaining 14 MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters to Ukraine, the nation confirmed the plan continues to be on maintain. In reality, Warsaw has conditioned the donation on sealing a drone know-how switch settlement, which continues to be pending.
Poland’s deputy protection minister Cezary Tomczyk instructed Radio Zet, in accordance with TVP World, that the switch is but to happen for the reason that deal has not but been finalized. The settlement would permit Poland to obtain Ukrainian UAV know-how that Kyiv efficiently developed and employed in opposition to Russia through the course of the conflict.
“We’ve not transferred the MiGs to Ukraine,” stated Tomczyk. “We agreed with the Ukrainian aspect on a switch of know-how. If this matter is agreed, then the difficulty of the fighters will finish efficiently.”
Polish protection observers have additionally backed their authorities, saying the Ukrainian aspect too must reciprocate with their protection sources for a mutually helpful navy cooperation. This trade between the 2 nations is just not new, because the switch of know-how was a situation agreed for the reason that starting for the switch of the MiG-29s.
It have to be famous that Poland has already transferred quite a few MiG-29s previously, as confirmed by former Minister of Nationwide Protection Mariusz Błaszczak. In reality, Poland transferred to Ukraine by Might 2023 a complete of 10 MiG-29s, which elevated to 14 by the top of the 12 months.
Polska wstrzymuje MiG-i dla Ukrainy. Wiceszef Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej Cezary Tomczyk potwierdził, że obecny rząd nie przekazał Ukrainie myśliwców MiG-29.
Mimo wcześniejszych zapowiedzi i sporów z Pałacem Prezydenckim – samoloty nadal stoją u nas. Warunkiem przekazania… pic.twitter.com/aMke2rVfkr
— Służby w akcji (@Sluzby_w_akcji) June 15, 2026
No drone tech, no MiG-29s
TVP World additional quoted Tomczyk, who defined: “A relationship of solidarity have to be a two-way relationship. Ukrainians are the very best in drones of all of the nations with which we now have constructive relations.”
Rzeczpospolita moreover attributed this assertion to Tomczyk: “Dialogue between Poland and Ukraine is ongoing. The Poles have made it clear: as we construct our personal drone capabilities, we might additionally like to have the ability to use these Ukrainian capabilities. After all, we’ll switch the tools to Ukraine if this matter is finalized. Nothing has modified on this matter; the matter has not been finalized.”
Any quick motive for the Ukrainian aspect to delay the drone know-how switch settlement stays unclear at this level. Nonetheless, Ukrainian studies from Dec. 12, 2025, quoted Kyiv’s ambassador to Warsaw, Vasyl Bodnar, who confirmed the 2 nations had been engaged on sending battle-tested Ukrainian drone know-how to Poland in trade for the MiG-29s.
Tomczyk additionally revealed that Poland was engaged on transferring 6 to eight MiG-29s out of the remaining fleet of 14 plane. Poland initially stated that the Polish Air Pressure wouldn’t face any functionality gaps after transferring the fighters because of the imminent arrival of F-35As – with the primary three delivered in nation in Might 2025 – and FA-50PLs, which might greater than make up for the MiG-29’s function.
For Ukraine, the MiG-29s will be instantly thrown into operations with out requiring new coaching for the pilots and floor crews, given their expertise working the Soviet-era jet for years. In line with the World Air Forces 2026 report, Ukraine operates a complete of 45 MiG-29s, which embrace ex-Polish and ex-Slovakian jets.
W tej spokojnej i niezwykle chwili, którą tym razem to… ja mogłem wykreować, gdzie harmonia światła i przestrzeni pozwalała dostrzec w lotnictwie nie tylko technikę… lecz także subtelne piękno ulotnych momentów ✨✈️#gawronsky #MiG29 #AviationPhotography #PolishAirForce pic.twitter.com/7uZDbxHtIU
— gawronsky.com (@m_gawronski) December 2, 2025
Poland’s remaining 14 MiG-29s are break up into 11 single-seaters and three twin-seat jets. Earlier than the beginning of the conflict in February 2022, the Polish Air Pressure (PolAF) operated 28 airframes.
Following the switch, the plane will fly along with Ukraine’s fleet of F-16AMs, Mirage 2000-5Fs, Su-24 Fencers, Su-25s and Su-27s. Kyiv has additionally inked a Letter of Intent with France to probably purchase as much as 100 Dassault Rafale jets, and signed on for 36 Saab JAS39 Gripens with Sweden.
Ukrainian drone know-how
As a result of ongoing conflict, Poland has seen Russian drone incursions, which triggered the launch of the Operation Japanese Sentry mission by NATO. The alliance’s involvement not too long ago noticed the scramble of British Eurofighter Typhoons, Romanian F-16s and French Rafales to take care of quite a few unidentified drones, which additionally required the fighters to open hearth.
As Poland continues its ongoing modernization of the navy, a spotlight can also be being placed on the Counter-Unmanned Aerial Programs (C-UAS) defenses. Ukraine is at the moment thought-about as the highest professional on this sector because of the expertise it has collected since 2022.
🇫🇷 In Paris at Eurosatory 2026, the Ukrainian protection business and protection corporations demonstrated the most recent long-range weapons of Ukrainian manufacturing.
Among the many merchandise introduced:– UAV-290 rocket UAV;– ST-1000 SEA TRIDENT underwater drone;– FP-7 and FP-9 ballistic… pic.twitter.com/naqEXkRN4U
— Angelica Shalagina🇺🇦 (@angelshalagina) June 15, 2026
Ukraine’s response to the Russian invasion spawned a wide range of cost-effective drones for a spread of navy makes use of. These embrace counter-drone programs like interceptor UAVs; small first-person view battlefield assault drones; tactical surveillance drones and ‘bomber’ drones; and easy long-range strike UAVs which have hit Russian air bases, radar websites and vitality infrastructure.
The nation additionally has a fairly efficient fleet of Unmanned Floor Vessels (USV) that strike Russian Black Sea Fleet (VSF) ships and even shoot down Russian fighters with repurposed air-to-air missiles. These unmanned programs have been developed below prohibitive Russian standoff strikes on the Ukrainian protection business and complicated digital warfare jamming.
The hassle allowed Kyiv to amass a wealth of expertise within the engineering, electromagnetic spectrum and tactical domains of drone warfare. Many nations at the moment are wanting on the progress that Ukraine made on this sector, trying to be taught from their expertise and even purchase their drones.
A latest occasion of this was seen through the conflict within the Center East, following the Iranian retaliatory assaults in opposition to U.S. targets within the neighboring nations. This led regional militaries to obtain some Ukrainian counter-drone programs, in addition to requesting the assistance of Ukrainian advisors to enhance the defensive measures.
