Polish President Karol Nawrocki disputes the government’s claim that Poland will hand over MiG‑29 fighters to Ukraine, sparking a public clash over national‑security policy.
Presidential‑government clash over MiG‑29 transfer
Poland’s armed aircraft that are nearing retirement are slated for Ukraine as part of an allied support strategy. Since the announcement, the president and the government have accused each other of lying.
President says he was not informed
President Nawrocki stated that he has received no formal brief on the MiG‑29 transfer. He added that there must have been a misunderstanding and hopes to resolve the issue with the defence minister.
Ministers deny gaps, cite meetings
Officials, including the ministries of defence and interior, insist that the topic has been repeatedly discussed in the presence of presidential officials and in weekly security committee meetings with BBN representatives.
Official commentary and criticisms on social media
Marcin Przydacz of the president’s office said the minister learned of the issue from the media. Tomasz Siemoniak, special‑services coordinator, called the president’s remarks “compromising.” Zbigniew Kuźmiuk of KO demanded that the president’s advisor present a report to Nawrocki. Paweł Graś, former government spokesman, warned it is “complete nonsense” that the MiG saga is still pending after a year of procedure.
Marcin Przydacz calls for clarification
In a post on X, Przydacz urged the prime minister to specify when the president was briefed on the matter, questioning the optimality of the current situation. The National Security Bureau also released a statement echoing these concerns.
President’s statement in Riga
On 11 December, in Riga, Nawrocki reiterated that he had not received any briefing about the aircraft transfer and expressed hope for clarification with the defence minister. He added that Poland is also negotiating the transfer of selected drone and missile technologies to Ukraine in exchange for new defence capabilities.
Replacement aircraft plans
The retirement of MiG‑29s will be compensated with F‑16 and FA‑50 jets, which will assume the roles of the decommissioned fighters.