Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad stated on Thursday that Slovakia must decide whether to transfer MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. He was referring to a fleet of 11 aircraft that were either retired or not last summer but were all still in service.
Nad posted on Facebook, “I suppose it’s time to make a decision.” “People are dying in Ukraine; we can truly aid them; Slovak politics have no place there.”
At a meeting of the European Union on Wednesday, He said he spoke with Poland’s military minister and informed him that Warsaw would consent to a cooperative procedure to transfer MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine.
Fighter jets have not yet been sent by Western nations that have been giving Ukraine armaments. Poland has consented to send fighter jets in a group of countries.
On Thursday, the head of the President’s Office, Pawel Szrot, told Radio Pulse the number of planes will be fewer than the 14 German-made Leopard 2 tanks that Poland promised to supply to Ukraine.
Countries on the eastern flank of the NATO military alliance, such as Poland and Slovakia, have been strong supporters of Ukraine since Russia invaded Ukraine last year.
Warsaw’s commitment to its neighbor was important in convincing European allies to donate heavy weapons, including tanks, to Ukraine, a move opposed until recently by several governments, including Germany.
Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger said last month the country could start talks on aircraft deliveries after Kiev officially requested it.
Heger’s government will rule in an executive capacity until the early elections scheduled for September, and Nad has said he is willing to involve Parliament in deciding the Jet plan.
Reporting by Jason Hovet in Prague and Pawel Florkiewicz in Warsaw; Edited by Jan Lopatka, Angus MacSwan and Nick Macfie
