POLAND WANTS UKRAINE’S DRONE EXPERTISE—BUT THE MiG-29 OFFER COMES YEARS TOO LATE
Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz says Ukraine has only weeks to decide whether it wants Poland’s remaining MiG-29 fighter jets.
Warsaw says it is prepared to continue supporting the aircraft, but in return wants something Ukraine has become the world leader in producing
Drone technology and battlefield experience.
“If this doesn’t work out—well, fine. Ukraine’s time on this matter is running out. A final decision must be made in the coming weeks.”
If Kyiv declines, Poland says the aircraft could instead go to Bulgaria, where they would largely be stripped for spare parts.
The timing of the offer raises questions.
For years, Ukraine pleaded for MiG-29s while fighting for survival with a much smaller air force. Back then, every additional fighter mattered.
Today, the battlefield has changed.
Ukraine has built one of the world’s most advanced drone programs. Long-range strike drones are reaching Moscow, FPVs dominate the front lines, and Ukrainian engineers are producing capabilities that militaries around the world are now studying.
Ironically, that expertise is now something Poland wants.
The negotiations also come at an uncomfortable moment.
Relations between Kyiv and Warsaw have cooled amid political disputes, while anti-Ukrainian rhetoric has become more visible in parts of Poland. The recent assault on a Ukrainian-speaking couple has only added to those concerns. Political leaders have a responsibility to lower tensions—not inflame them—because words have consequences.
None of this erases what Poland has done for Ukraine.
Poland has been one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters since the full-scale invasion, providing weapons, humanitarian aid, and shelter for millions of refugees.
But partnership works both ways.
Ukraine needed these MiGs when Russian aircraft had far greater freedom over the battlefield. Today, the center of gravity has shifted. Poland is asking for access to the very drone knowledge Ukraine developed through three and a half years of sacrifice, innovation, and war. That reality says as much about how this conflict has evolved as the aircraft themselves.