Poland, Slovakia urge allies to send fighter jets to Ukraine

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Officials in Poland and Slovakia are urging their allies to provide fighter jets to Ukraine, saying they are ready to send their their Soviet-made MiG-29 jet fighters to Kyiv as part of an international coalition.

However, it still remains unclear if any other Western supporters of Ukraine are ready to take that step.

“I think it’s time to make a decision. People in Ukraine are dying. We can really help them,” Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad said Thursday on Facebook. “This is inhumane and irresponsible.”

Slovak and Polish officials have made the calls before but have renewed their appeals in recent days. Both countries are NATO members.

Polish President Andrzej Duda said Wednesday on CNN that Poland was ready to provide Ukraine with the MiG-29 fighters in coalition with other countries.

Nad also said it was a matter of discussion between himself and his Polish counterpart at a meeting in Sweden on Wednesday and that they agree on the matter.

Poland’s Defense Ministry said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press that Poland “is ready to hand over our MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine as a part of an international coalition.”

Ukraine has been asking the West for fighter jets to beef up its defenses as the war drags on into its second year. While Kyiv has obtained promises of tanks, some of which are already arriving, there are still no signs that larger nations like the United States and Britain will agree to send their warplanes.

___ Follow AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine