Ukraine and Poland Negotiating Transfer of Remaining MiG-29s

Poland and Ukraine are in talks about transferring the last Polish MiG-29 fighter jets to the Ukrainian Air Force.

The General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces reported this.

The aircraft are being transferred because they have reached the end of their service life and can no longer be upgraded for use in the Polish Air Force.

The General Staff emphasizes that a final decision on this issue has not yet been made.

The transfer is expected to be part of NATO’s broader policy to strengthen the Alliance’s eastern flank and support Ukraine.

The duties of the retired MiG-29s will be taken over by the more modern F-16 and FA-50 aircraft.

Alongside discussions about transferring the fighter jets, negotiations on compensation mechanisms are also underway: Ukraine may offer Poland certain technologies in the fields of drones and missile systems.

The aim of this cooperation is not only to compensate Poland for the loss of equipment, but also to develop joint defense capabilities and expand industrial cooperation.

Discussions about the possible transfer of Poland’s remaining MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine started back in July 2024.

As of 2025, the Polish Army still has 11 MiG-29A fighter jets and 3 MiG-29UB training-combat aircraft in service – a total of 14 aircraft.

These fighters continue to operate within the Polish Air Force.

At the end of October, a pair of Polish MiG-29s intercepted a Russian Il-20 aircraft over the Baltic Sea.

Polish pilots visually identified the Russian aircraft and then escorted it, following the standard response procedure in airspace under NATO control.