The subject of the possible transfer of F-16 fighter jets from the Polish Air Force to Ukraine is not the subject of any "
official discussion
", a deputy defense minister said on Tuesday (January 31st). , the day after the refusal of the United States to deliver these machines to Kiev.
“We will act in full coordination”
"
At the moment, there is no official discussion on the transfer of
Polish F-16s" to Ukraine, Wojciech Skurkiewicz told AFP, adding: "
the subject does not exist
".
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Poland has 48 American-made F-16 fighter jets.
The declarations of the deputy minister come after those of the head of government Mateusz Morawiecki who underlined on Monday that “
all our steps aimed at strengthening the defense forces of Ukraine, we coordinate them with our NATO partners
”.
“
As a few months ago, within the framework of the (Soviet-designed fighter planes, editor’s note) MIG, any new air force will be put in place and possibly transferred in consultation with the NATO countries.
We will act in full coordination
,” he said.
American refusal
On Monday January 30, US President Joe Biden categorically refused the idea of sending these American F-16 type fighter planes to Ukraine.
“
No
,” said the American president when a journalist asked him at the White House about the possibility of providing the devices demanded by the Ukrainian leaders.
On the side of the European bloc, Berlin has already categorically rejected the idea of sending combat planes, while French President Emmanuel Macron has cautiously estimated that "
by definition, nothing is excluded
", while ensuring that the Ukrainians had not made any such request to him to date.
The French president also spoke with the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, who has already put forward the idea of sending F-16s to Ukraine, stressing that there was no "
taboo
" on this subject, but that it would be "
a big step
".