Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that Ukraine had initially agreed to share its expertise in the development and production of drones with Poland. In exchange, Warsaw pledged to transfer MiG-29 fighter jets from its own arsenal to the Ukrainian military as they were being retired from Polish service, News.Az reports, citing UAWire.
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“Ukraine is indeed strong in drone technologies. We wanted Ukrainians to share their know-how and some of their technologies with us,” the minister said.
He did not specify why Kyiv later backed out of the cooperation agreement with Warsaw, but he referenced a recent diplomatic conflict between the two countries. The dispute was triggered when President Volodymyr Zelensky granted an honorary title to a Ukrainian military unit in recognition of the UPA, a move that led Poland to revoke Ukraine’s president from the Order of the White Eagle.
Ukraine received its first MiG-29 fighter jets from Poland in 2023. At that time, Polish authorities had planned to supply all their aging, Soviet-era MiGs-modernized in the mid-2000s-to Ukraine’s armed forces. These aircraft were slated to be replaced by newer American F-35s for the Polish military. However, Warsaw has now suspended the transfer program.
