Polish president "not informed" about planned MiG-29 handover to Ukraine
Polish President Karol Nawrocki is said to have not been informed about plans to transfer MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine.
Before President Karol Nawrocki departed for Latvia, Marcin Przydacz, head of the Bureau of International Policy in the Polish President's Chancellery, was asked about reports of a planned handover to Ukraine of the remaining MiG-29s still in service with the Polish Air Force.
He replied that the president is not being kept regularly informed about this important issue, although he added that as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, he should, of course, be briefed on the matter.
"We are somewhat surprised, but also interested, to hear these remarks coming from the government and high-ranking officers of the Polish Armed Forces, who are talking about specific plans in this direction," Przydacz said, as quoted by Polish news website Wirtualna Polska.
He recalled that Poland had supplied military equipment to Ukraine in previous years, but said this had always taken place not only with the president's knowledge but also with his consent. He noted that relevant meetings had been held at the National Security Bureau or at the Presidential Palace.
Przydacz added that, in his view, the government should also inform the president in such cases and conduct internal analysis and discussions.
He also said that failing to consult the president on this issue could often signal ill intent and another attempt to exclude him from information crucial to the Polish state.
Later, Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz denied Przydacz's claims.
"That's not true. We discuss these issues during security committee meetings," he said.
The minister added that the issue of transferring MiG-29s to Ukraine has been raised several times and is still in progress rather than completed.
It was previously reported that Poland is in talks with Ukraine about the possibility of sending MiG-29 fighter jets in exchange for access to certain missile and drone technologies.
Last autumn, the Ukrainian side repeatedly urged Poland to hand over Soviet-era MiG-29s, but Warsaw explained that it could not do so without weakening its own defence.
In March 2025, Poland's then-president Andrzej Duda said he could consider transferring MiG-29s to Ukraine if provided with an adequate replacement by Warsaw's allies.