Pentagon says Poland’s jet offer for Ukraine ‘not tenable’

By VANESSA GERA, LOLITA C. BALDOR and AAMER MADHANI
Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The Pentagon has rejected a surprise announcement from Poland that it would give the United States its MiG-29 fighter jets for use by Ukraine. It’s a rare display of disharmony as NATO allies seek to boost Ukrainian fighters while avoiding getting caught up in a wider war with Russia. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Poland’s declaration that it intended to deliver the 28 jets to the U.S. Ramstein Air Base in Germany raised the concerning prospect of warplanes departing from a U.S. and NATO base to fly into airspace contested with Russia in the Ukraine conflict. The U.S., he says, will continue to talk to Poland and other NATO allies about supplying the planes.