Poland has still not handed over promised MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine: it is waiting for Kyiv’s drone technology
Poland has confirmed that the transfer of a squadron of MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine is being held up due to an unresolved issue regarding a technology barter deal.
This was stated by Cezary Tomczyk, Poland’s Deputy Minister of National Defence, in an interview with Radio ZET, according to Censor.NET.
Warsaw's position
Poland’s Deputy Minister of Defence has acknowledged that the aircraft are still at Polish airfields because the legal and technical processes involved in the transfer of Ukrainian technology have not yet been completed. Warsaw wants to secure the intellectual property rights and technical specifications for the Ukrainian UAVs before the aircraft cross the border.
"We have not transferred any MiGs to Ukraine… Discussions are ongoing between Poland and Ukraine. The Poles have made it clear that, as we are developing our own drone capabilities, we would also like to be able to make use of these Ukrainian capabilities and, of course, we will transfer the equipment to Ukraine if an agreement is reached. Nothing has changed in this regard, but the matter has not been settled", Tomczyk stated.
Negotiations on the transfer of MiGs
Active consultations on this compromise began late last year. Subsequently, the Ukrainian government, represented by Vasyl Bodnar, Ukraine’s ambassador to Poland, confirmed that this format of cooperation suits both sides.
In January 2026, Ukraine’s Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov also announced plans to deepen the military-technical partnership with Warsaw. According to him, this involves a much broader scope:
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Poland and Ukraine are planning joint industrial projects in the field of drones and missile systems;
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Experts from both countries will work on upgrading the fighter jets’ onboard systems to accommodate a range of modern airborne weapons prior to their handover to the Ukrainian Air Force.
The Polish Ministry of National Defence emphasises that this move is of strategic importance to them, as the country is simultaneously transitioning to the state-of-the-art fifth-generation American F-35 fighter jets, and the drone technology received from Ukraine will enable the creation of a robust defence on NATO’s eastern flank.
