Poland tells Ukraine to strike MiG deal “within the coming weeks” or Bulgaria gets the jets

Poland has warned Ukraine that it has only weeks to accept Warsaw’s conditions for acquiring the country’s remaining MiG-29 fighter jets, or all 14 aircraft could instead be sold to Bulgaria. The ultimatum exposes a new transactional approach to military support for Kyiv, with Poland demanding drone technology and industrial cooperation in return for the Soviet-era fighters.

In an interview with Wirtualna Polska Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said Bulgaria is prepared to buy the aircraft if negotiations with Kyiv fail.

The unusually blunt remarks highlight a growing shift in Poland’s approach to military assistance for Ukraine. While Warsaw remains one of Kyiv’s strongest supporters, it is increasingly putting pressure on Kyiv over conflicting historical narratives from World War II, particularly the Volyn massacre (1943–1945), in which the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) is accused by Poland of killing tens of thousands of Polish civilians. In Ukraine, the UPA is often viewed as fighters for independence against Soviet and Nazi forces.

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In this context, Warsaw is linking future defence cooperation to reciprocal benefits, particularly in areas where Ukraine has developed battlefield expertise such as drone technology.

The dispute centres on Poland’s fleet of 14 Soviet-designed MiG-29 fighters, which are being phased out of service as Warsaw modernises its air force with Western aircraft. Kosiniak-Kamysz has in the recent past made harsh remarks, warning that Kyiv may not get the aircraft. The novelty is that he now dangles their transfer to Bulgaria.

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“Everything now depends on the Ukrainian side,” the Polish defence minister said in an interview with Polish media outlet WP.

Warsaw expects more than a simple transfer of aircraft. Kosiniak-Kamysz argued that Ukraine’s rapidly expanding drone industry should become part of a broader defence partnership with Poland.

“Seeing how Ukraine has built a drone industry and even exports drones to the Middle East shows it has capabilities exceeding its own wartime needs,” he said. “It is time to say what we expect in return – know-how in areas where Ukraine excels and cooperation that would allow us to use some of those capabilities.”

The minister acknowledged that the proposed exchange would also carry symbolic value, describing himself as disappointed that no agreement had yet been reached.

If no deal is reached soon, however, Warsaw is prepared to abandon the Ukrainian option altogether.

“These aircraft are in good condition – good enough that the Bulgarians want to buy them,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said. “If someone is willing to pay for them, that means they are really good aircraft.”

He added that Ukraine had only a limited window to make a decision, saying a final outcome would have to be reached very soon. “Ukraine has less and less time. A final decision must be taken in the coming weeks,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

The remarks suggest Poland is prepared to prioritise a commercial sale over a military donation if Kyiv refuses its terms.

The dispute comes despite Ukraine’s continued need for Soviet-designed aircraft, which remain easier to integrate into its existing air force than Western fighter jets requiring different infrastructure, logistics and pilot training.

Bulgarian row over possible purchase

Kosiniak-Kamysz’s comments triggered an immediate political controversy in Bulgaria, where the government is already under pressure over reports that it sought to acquire the Polish aircraft.

The latest dispute follows conflicting accounts from Sofia and Warsaw. Bulgaria’s Ministry of Defence had previously denied reports that it wanted to purchase all of Poland’s remaining MiG-29s, insisting it had expressed interest only in spare parts needed to keep Bulgaria’s own Soviet-era fighters operational.

Polish officials, however, publicly contradicted that account, saying Bulgaria had requested to buy all 14 aircraft.

The issue quickly became politically charged in Sofia.

Ivaylo Mirchev, co-chair of the opposition alliance Democratic Bulgaria (DB), accused the government of attempting to “take the Polish MiGs from under the nose of Ukraine”, arguing that the move undermined Bulgaria’s credibility among NATO allies.

In a sharply worded statement, Mirchev said the government was “travelling around the remnants of the Warsaw Pact looking for more MiGs”, exposing Bulgaria to ridicule instead of accelerating the transition to Western military equipment.

He compared the policy to someone trying to keep an old Soviet-era Moskvich car running by buying up every remaining vehicle for spare parts instead of replacing it with a modern model.

According to Mirchev, Bulgaria has already budgeted more than €44 million this year merely to keep its existing MiG-29 fleet operational. Purchasing additional Polish aircraft, together with transport, technical inspections, spare parts, repairs and certification, would significantly increase those costs while further prolonging reliance on ageing Soviet equipment.

He also argued that Ukraine itself possesses extensive expertise in maintaining and upgrading MiG-29 aircraft, making the situation particularly contradictory.

“It would be humiliating if Bulgaria first tried to acquire Poland’s MiGs instead of Ukraine, only to later ask the Ukrainians to help repair and modernise them,” Mirchev said.

The opposition lawmaker called on the Bulgarian government to publish all correspondence exchanged with Poland and Hungary, disclose exactly how many aircraft or spare parts it wants to acquire, estimate the total cost of the operation and explain why it continues investing in Soviet-era aviation instead of speeding up the transition to Western platforms.

The controversy comes as Bulgaria is gradually replacing its ageing MiG-29 fleet with U.S.-built F-16 Block 70 fighter jets, although delays in deliveries have forced the air force to continue relying on Soviet-designed aircraft longer than originally planned.

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Sources: Wirtualna Polska, EUalive’s partner Segabg.com

Caption: Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz attends a press conference at the Ministry of National Defence headquarters in Warsaw, Poland, 14 July 2026. The press conference follows a meeting of the Council of Ministers Committee for National Security. EPA/MARCIN OBARA