Poland confesses it ‘hit the wall’ with Ukraine army assistance
Date
12/21/2024 2:17:39 AM
(MENAFN) Poland has reached the maximum amount of military aid it can provide to Ukraine, according to Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski. In an interview with radio Zet on Wednesday, Zalewski emphasized that Warsaw cannot send its remaining MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine without compromising its own national security.
Poland had already supplied Ukraine with a squadron of Soviet-era MiG-29s in early 2023. Zalewski stated that any further transfers are off the table until Poland receives F-35 jets from the United States to replace its MiG-29 fleet, with delivery expected in 2026.
“Our priority now is to enhance the defense capabilities of the Polish military,” Zalewski said. “We’ve provided as much as we can, and we’ll continue to support Ukraine, but we cannot give more.” He added that Poland is approaching the limit of its capacity to assist Ukraine.
Poland's commitment to strengthening its own defenses was also reinforced by Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz in August, who stated that the country had already provided all the support it could without putting its own security at risk.
Since the start of the conflict in 2022, Poland has delivered over €4.5 billion ($4.7 billion) in aid to Ukraine, with more than 70% allocated to military assistance, according to the Kiel Institute.
Meanwhile, Russia has consistently warned that Western military support will not alter the course of the war, maintaining that its objectives—including Ukraine’s demilitarization, neutrality, and the annexation of certain territories—will be achieved. The Kremlin insists that any peace talks must begin with Ukraine acknowledging the loss of its disputed regions.
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