Negotiations between Ukraine and Poland over the possible transfer of Polish MiG-29 fighter jets may be approaching a critical stage, with Polish officials indicating that a final decision should be made within the coming weeks. However, unresolved questions over the condition of the aircraft and responsibility for their refurbishment continue to complicate the talks.
In an interview with Wirtualna Polska, Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, described the agreement with Ukraine as a priority but stressed that the outcome now depends on the Ukrainian side. He added that the window for resolving the issue is closing and that a final decision should be reached "within the coming weeks".
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According to Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, negotiations are currently focused on one of the most difficult aspects of the potential deal: who would carry out the maintenance, repairs, and modernization of the aircraft, and who would bear the associated costs. No public indication has been given that the two sides have reached a breakthrough on these issues.
The discussions are linked to a broader proposal involving Polish fighter aircraft in exchange for cooperation on Ukrainian drone technologies. The Polish defense minister acknowledged that such an arrangement carries symbolic importance in addition to its practical value, while expressing disappointment that the expected political symbolism has yet to materialize.
The talks, however, have been overshadowed by concerns over the condition of Poland's remaining MiG-29 fleet. Ukrainian officials reportedly inspected the aircraft during earlier negotiations and concluded that many of them require extensive repairs before they could be safely integrated into the Ukrainian Air Force. Operating the fighters in their current condition would present significant safety and reliability risks.
Those technical concerns appear to have been a key reason why an initial agreement failed to materialize last year. The dispute later entered the public sphere, with Polish officials suggesting Ukraine was reluctant to share drone expertise, while Ukrainian reservations centered on the substantial costs and time required to restore the aging aircraft to operational status.
The military value of the proposed transfer therefore remains uncertain. Reports indicate that Poland has around 14 MiG-29 jets remaining in service, but only a portion of them, possibly no more than nine, could realistically be returned to combat-ready condition after refurbishment. Given the potentially lengthy repair and modernization process, the aircraft may offer limited short-term benefits for Ukraine, making the outcome of the ongoing negotiations dependent as much on economics and technical feasibility as on political will.
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