Slovakia to donate MIG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine

After Ukraine formally requested the MIG-29 fighter jets, Slovakia can now begin negotiations to dispatch the aircraft, according to a statement by Prime Minister Eduard Heger.

Until recently, the Western nations that have given Ukraine weapons have declined to dispatch fighter jets or long-range weapons that can strike deep inside Russia.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, stated on Thursday that he had learned that several European Union leaders were willing to give Kyiv aircraft at a summit, hinting at one of the largest shifts in Western support for Ukraine to date.

“The Ukrainian president asked me to deliver the MIGs. Now, because this official request has come, the process of negotiations can be started,” Heger said. “Our MIGs can save innocent lives in Ukraine,” he added.

Heger stated that there will be talks with the European Commission as well as internally because Slovakia may be eligible for reimbursement for the delivery.

Jaroslav Nad, the country’s defense minister, said the MIG-29 fighter jets were no longer required and could either be sold or given to Ukraine, where they would be useful. He claimed that no judgment had yet been made, AP News reports.

“We will never use the MiGs anymore,” Nad said. “They have no real value for us. If we give them to Ukraine, they can help save their lives.”

The start of Bratislava’s delivery of the 14 American F-16 Block 70/72 fighter jets was delayed by two years to early 2024.

Despite a protracted political crisis that culminated in the fall of the government in December following a vote of no-confidence, Nad emphasized that his nation responded to Ukraine’s need for arms.

“That Ukraine is able to defend itself against the Russian aggression is absolutely in our national, state, security, and defense interest,” he said.

The MIG arrangement would be “really a win-win for everyone involved,” Nad underscored.

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