Polish MiG-29s may be sent to Bulgaria instead of Ukraine
Bulgaria may receive Polish MiG-29 fighter jets if Ukraine and Poland fail to agree on the terms of their transfer. According to former Polish Defense Minister Janusz Onyszkiewicz, the main point of contention concerns the condition of the aircraft and the costs of refurbishing them.
Poland may transfer its MiG-29 fighter jets to Bulgaria rather than Ukraine if Kyiv and Warsaw fail to reach a compromise on the terms of the transfer. This was stated by former Polish Minister of National Defense Janusz Onyszkiewicz.
According to him, the decision will depend on the benefits and costs Poland would incur if it transferred these aircraft. “Poland has MiGs that are reaching the end of their service life—that is, they are effectively no longer capable of flying safely—so Poland will gradually be phasing them out of service,” Onyszkiewicz explained.
He noted that restoring these fighter jets to full combat readiness would require significant funding. The very issue of repairs and modernization has become one of the main factors complicating negotiations between the countries.
What’s the Problem with the Polish MiG-29s?
According to the former minister, several options for Ukraine’s use of these aircraft were initially considered. In particular, they could serve as a source of spare parts or be restored to operational condition.
However, the question arose as to who exactly should pay for the repair and modernization of the fighter jets. “Both sides have reached a bit of an impasse due to overly ambitious expectations, and that is the reason for this delay,” Onyshkevych noted. He added that there are other contenders for the Polish MiG-29s, so a decision will need to be made in the near future.
Bulgaria Could Be “Plan B”
The former head of Poland’s Ministry of Defense stated that if Ukraine is not prepared to accept the aircraft in their current condition and offer Poland certain drone technologies in exchange, Warsaw may choose another option. “If the Ukrainian side is not ready to accept them as they are and, in accordance with their value, provide Poland with certain drone technologies in exchange, then Poland will likely move on to ‘Plan B’: transfer the MiGs to another country,” Onyshkevych said.
According to him, Bulgaria could be that country. At the same time, the politician emphasized that it would be better for Poland to resolve the issue directly with Ukraine. “It would be better if this were resolved within the framework of relations between Poland and Ukraine,” Onyshkevych concluded. Negotiations regarding the Polish MiG-29s have been ongoing for quite some time. The final decision will depend on agreements between the countries and the terms under which the aircraft can be transferred. This was noted by former Polish Minister of National Defense Janusz Onyszkiewicz in an interview with Ukrinform.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev stated that he has doubts about the effectiveness of the European Union sanctions imposed against Russia. He also explained his readiness to block the 21st package of sanctions in order to protect the country’s national interests.
