Deputy Minister of National Defence Wojciech Skurkiewicz said that there are no talks at the moment on the delivery of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine. ‘We are doing our job, we are helping Ukraine and that is the most important thing’, the Law and Justice senator assessed.

“There is no issue of handing over F-16 planes. Now, this discussion does not take place directly with regard to handing over any air vessels”, the deputy minister said in the interview.

The journalist reminded that such a discussion is, however, taking place in social media, and Andriy Yermak, head of President Zelensky’s chancellery, wrote in Telegram that Ukraine had positive signals regarding F-16 fighters from Poland.

‘We are among those countries transferring the most equipment to the Ukrainians, and once again I want to assure you that there is no discussion about F-16s at the moment. The Ukrainian side for such specialised technology must be adequately prepared, so must the airports’, Skurkiewicz stressed, adding that the US would be key in the discussion.

“Poland is focused on the transfer of armoured equipment. Today we are creating a coalition of countries, which will hand over Leopard 2, Challenger and Abrams tanks to the Ukrainians and this determines us today, because we want to hand over as many of these tanks as possible”, the politician said.

The deputy head of the national defence ministry noted that there is no discussion today about the involvement of Polish, NATO and European aviation technology when it comes to Ukraine, and “speculations, assumptions” in this matter are “absolutely unnecessary”.

Asked about the timing of the handover of Leopard tanks to Ukraine, Wojciech Skurkiewicz said that Ukrainian soldiers must first be trained, prepared and familiarised with the equipment. 

“Operating a Leopard tank and a T-72 tank is quite a difference. Undoubtedly, the training cycle must take place”, the Deputy Defence Minister pointed out.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński