WASHINGTON: The United States rejected a surprise offer by NATO ally Poland on Tuesday to transfer its Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets to a U.S. base in Germany as a way to replenish Ukraine's air force in its defense against invading Russian forces.
The United States has sought to speed weapons deliveries to Ukraine. But the prospect of flying combat aircraft from NATO territory into the war zone "raises serious concerns for the entire NATO alliance," the Pentagon said.
NATO has said it does not want direct conflict with Russia, a fellow nuclear-armed power, and President Joe Biden has ruled out sending U.S. troops into Ukraine to fight, something the Pentagon has said would apply to troops on the ground or in the air, flying missions.
"It is simply not clear to us that there is a substantive rationale for it," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said of Poland's proposal.
"We will continue to consult with Poland and our other NATO allies about this issue and the difficult logistical challenges it presents, but we do not believe Poland’s proposal is a tenable one."
Poland's foreign ministry announced on Tuesday that it was ready to deploy its MiG-29 jets to Ramstein Air Base in Germany and put them at the disposal of the United States. It urged other members of the alliance that had other such aircraft to do the same.
The U.S. State Department's No. 3 diplomat said the Polish proposal caught the United States by surprise.
"To my knowledge, it wasn't pre-consulted with us that they planned to give these planes to us," State Department Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.
"So I think that actually was a surprise move by the Poles," she said.
The impasse raises questions about the viability of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy plea for European countries to provide Russian-made planes, an issue he underscored during a video call Saturday with U.S. lawmakers.
U.S. lawmakers are eager to speed military aid to Ukraine and are pushing the Biden administration to facilitate the aircraft transfer.
But Poland's announcement could also reflect its own sensitivities.
Poland is supporting Ukraine with defensive weapons, but has said it would not send jets as it is not a direct party to the conflict between Ukraine - which is not a NATO ally - and Russia.
Russia's defense ministry warned this week that countries offering air fields to Ukraine for attacks on Russia may be considered as having entered the conflict.
Nuland said the main issue was to assess what Poland's immediate needs would be given it is adjacent to the conflict.
"Poland - they benefit from full air security from the NATO alliance. ... The main issue is to evaluate what Poland's immediate needs are in the context of being a neighbor of this conflict," she said.
Separately, the U.S. military announced it would reposition two Patriot missile batteries to Poland to proactively "counter any potential threat to U.S. and Allied forces and NATO territory."
READ MORE: Russia-Ukraine crisis: What led to the attacks and the latest developments
Reuters
Wed Mar 09 2022
![US rejects Poland's offer to give it Russian-made fighter jets for Ukraine US rejects Poland's offer to give it Russian-made fighter jets for Ukraine](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-03/81646790686_MiG.jpg)
The United States rejected a surprise offer by NATO ally Poland on Tuesday to transfer its Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets to a U.S. base in Germany. - REUTERS/Filepic
![Reman suspek kes keropok beracun disambung dua hari Reman suspek kes keropok beracun disambung dua hari](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721107133_keropokberacunrem.jpg)
Reman suspek kes keropok beracun disambung dua hari
Tempoh reman terhadap seorang pemilik kebun disambung selama dua hari, bagi membantu siasatan kematian dua kanak-kanak yang meninggal dunia akibat makan keropok beracun.
![Tidak perlu lagi kemas kini status COVID-19 dalam MySejahtera - KKM Tidak perlu lagi kemas kini status COVID-19 dalam MySejahtera - KKM](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721100784_TBmysj.jpg)
Tidak perlu lagi kemas kini status COVID-19 dalam MySejahtera - KKM
Jika positif COVID-19 melalui ujian kendiri, pesakit boleh mengunjungi klinik dan hospital berdekatan bagi mendapatkan pengesahan.
![Mayat hampir reput dijumpai di rumah usang Mayat hampir reput dijumpai di rumah usang](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-12/41702437730_maut.jpg)
Mayat hampir reput dijumpai di rumah usang
Mayat hampir reput ditemui di sebuah rumah usang di Kesang Laut, berdekatan pusat timbang Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) pada Ahad.
Wanita dakwa dituduh Rafizi fail saman
Seorang wanita memfailkan saman terhadap Menteri Ekonomi, Rafizi Ramli bagi menuntut permohonan maaf secara terbuka berhubung dakwaan bahawa wanita berkenaan ialah isteri kepada bekas menteri yang dikaitkan dengan isu kapal tempur pesisir (LCS).
Bagaimanapun, Rafizi bergantung kepada pembelaan justifikasi berkata bersedia membuktikan kenyataan di mahkamah termasuk perlindungan bersyarat dan ulasan yang saksama terhadap saman fitnah yang difailkan oleh Zainab Mohd Salleh.
Bagaimanapun, Rafizi bergantung kepada pembelaan justifikasi berkata bersedia membuktikan kenyataan di mahkamah termasuk perlindungan bersyarat dan ulasan yang saksama terhadap saman fitnah yang difailkan oleh Zainab Mohd Salleh.
![Ahli Parlimen PN pakai reben putih di lengan tak langgar peraturan - Timbalan Speaker Ahli Parlimen PN pakai reben putih di lengan tak langgar peraturan - Timbalan Speaker](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61721011336_PerikatanNasional.jpg)
Ahli Parlimen PN pakai reben putih di lengan tak langgar peraturan - Timbalan Speaker
Jelas Timbalan Yang Dipertua Dewan Rakyat itu, pendirian tersebut adalah keputusannya dan ia tidak dibuat oleh Yang Dipertua Dewan Rakyat, Tan Sri Johari Abdul.
![Trump umum Senator JD Vance sebagai calon Naib Presidennya Trump umum Senator JD Vance sebagai calon Naib Presidennya](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721107129_DonaldTrumpJDV.jpg)
Trump umum Senator JD Vance sebagai calon Naib Presidennya
Bekas Presiden Amerika Syarikat Donald Trump mengumumkan Senator Ohio JD Vance akan menjadi calon Naib Presidennya dalam pilihan raya 2024.
AWANI Ringkas: Pan Gon bakal umum letak jawatan hari ini?
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
![iOS 18 tampil ciri kembalikan gambar, video yang hilang atau rosak iOS 18 tampil ciri kembalikan gambar, video yang hilang atau rosak](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721103714_iOS.jpg)
iOS 18 tampil ciri kembalikan gambar, video yang hilang atau rosak
Pada iOS 18, iPadOS 18 dan macOS Sequoia, Apple memperkenalkan ciri baharu yang membolehkan data yang hilang ini dikembalikan.
[TERKINI] Suspek kes pempengaruh Esha mengaku bersalah
Seorang pemandu lori berusia 43 tahun mengaku bersalah membuat kenyataan menyinggung perasaan terhadap mendiang empengaruh media sosial, A Rajeswary atau Esha di TikTok.
Projek HSR Jakarta-Bandung rekod 4 juta penumpang
Projek Kereta Api Laju (HSR) Jakarta-Bandung yang dikenali sebagai Whoosh membawa empat juta penumpang sejak ia beroperasi secara komersial pada 17 Oktober, tahun lalu.
![AS terkejut Poland sediakan jet MiG untuk Ukraine AS terkejut Poland sediakan jet MiG untuk Ukraine](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-03/51646787671_jetpejuang.jpg)
AS terkejut Poland sediakan jet MiG untuk Ukraine
Tindakan Poland akan membolehkan ia menerima jet-jet pejuang F-16 bagi menggantikan jet-jet MiG buatan era Kesatuan Soviet.
!['Ghost of Kiev' mimpi ngeri Rusia 'Ghost of Kiev' mimpi ngeri Rusia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2022-02/51646001179_juruterbang.jpg)
'Ghost of Kiev' mimpi ngeri Rusia
Rakaman video memaparkan aksi keberanian 'hero ruang angkasa Ukraine' itu turut menjadi tular di Twitter dan salah satu daripadanya mendapat sehingga hampir lima juta view.
![Rusia sambut baik kerjasama pembangunan nuklear - Duta Rusia sambut baik kerjasama pembangunan nuklear - Duta](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2013-01/81357026998_295x200.jpg)
Rusia sambut baik kerjasama pembangunan nuklear - Duta
Duta Rusia ke Malaysia Valery N. Yermolov berkata Rusia menyambut baik kerjasama dalam pembangunan loji dan tenaga nuklear.
![Kerajaan belum putus pembelian pesawat pejuang ganti MiG-29 Kerajaan belum putus pembelian pesawat pejuang ganti MiG-29](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2013-11/41383262338_295x200.jpg)
Kerajaan belum putus pembelian pesawat pejuang ganti MiG-29
Pelbagai aspek perlu diteliti sebelum keputusan pembelian dibuat termasuk keupayaan pesawat berkenaan serta kemampuan kewangan negara.