German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s ruling coalition will quickly approve a Polish request for permission to re-export MiG 29 fighter jets from former East German military stocks to Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the issue.
(Bloomberg) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s ruling coalition will quickly approve a Polish request for permission to re-export MiG 29 fighter jets from former East German military stocks to Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the issue.
The coalition will grant the demand to further support Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invading forces, said the person who asked not to be named on a confidential matter.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said during her visit to China on Thursday that the German government will closely examine the Polish request.
“I’ve not seen this request yet, but we will take a very intense look at it,” Baerbock said in the Chinese city Tianjin. The Soviet-designed MiG 29 jets from old East German army stocks had been given to Poland, which now needs approval from the German government to export them to Ukraine.
Germany has delivered a wide range of military weapons to Ukraine over the past 12 months, including battle tanks, armored infantry fight vehicles, anti-aircraft guns, multi-rocket launchers and advanced anti-missile systems. After initially being criticized for a perceived slow response to Russia’s invasion, Germany has become one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters on weapons and military equipment together with the US and UK.
Poland has been among the most vocal supporters of providing military equipment to Ukraine. The country has sent ammunition, Soviet-era tanks and most recently began shipping MiG 29 fighter jets. President Andrzej Duda said during a state visit of his Ukrainian counterpart in Warsaw earlier this month that Poland may eventually transfer its entire fleet of about 29 Soviet-era jets to its eastern neighbor.
–With assistance from Piotr Skolimowski.
(Updates with German context in fifth, sixth paragraphs)
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