Potential Deal Between Washington and Poland to Send Aircraft to Ukraine

The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. officials stated the United States is considering a deal where Poland would send Soviet-era aircraft to Ukraine in exchange for American-made F-16 fighter jets, in the latest attempt to assist Ukraine in responding to Russian military operations. U.S. officials indicated that the deal would require approval from the White House and action from Congress. The revelation of this potential deal follows a call from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to U.S. lawmakers for help in securing more lethal military aid, particularly Russian-made fighter jets. Zelensky also supported a proposal to ban U.S. imports of Russian oil during a video call on Saturday with members of Congress. A Pentagon official mentioned that other allied countries are seeking to supply Ukraine with Russian aircraft, while U.S. officials pointed out that there are several "challenging practical questions," including how to deliver the aircraft to Ukraine. They noted that providing Soviet-era aircraft is a "sovereign decision" for Poland and that arrangement details need to be agreed upon with Warsaw. It remains unclear how many Soviet-era aircraft are available in Poland, while the Polish Air Force already operates a fleet of at least several dozen F-16s.