President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called allies to stop ‘ping-ponging’ the issue of providing aircraft to Ukraine and finally transfer aircraft. He said during a daily address on 9 March.
“We are grateful to Poland for the alternative - for its readiness to provide Ukraine with combat aircraft. The issue is with logistics. In fact, a technical issue. It must be solved! Immediately. There is an official decision of Poland to transfer the planes to the appropriate base — the American base. We also have confirmation that the agreement between the American side and Poland has been reached. But at the same time we hear that Poland's proposal is allegedly not tenable. And that's what they say in Washington. So when will the decision be made? Listen: we have a war! This is not ping-pong! It's about human lives! We ask again — solve it faster. Do not shift the responsibility, but send us planes,” Zelenskyy said.
He said that for 14 days, Russia uses missiles, aircraft and helicopters against civilians, bombing cities and blocking entire areas.
“For 14 days we don’t have a vital decision. This decision is not our to make! We would make that decision in hours if we had to help our friends. From the first day of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has been repeating to its partners: if you do not close the sky, you will also be responsible for the catastrophe. A large-scale humanitarian catastrophe. Russia uses missiles, aircraft and helicopters against civilians. Against cities. Against our infrastructure. It is the world's humanitarian duty to respond. But ... There is no solution,” the President summed up.
From the first day of the war, Ukraine has asked to close the sky to protect civilians from Russian missiles and aircrafts. NATO refuses to close its airspace over Ukraine, citing a reluctance to send troops to war against Russia. Therefore, Ukraine askes allies to provide it with enough aircrafts and air defense equipment to be able to close the sky on its own.
Yesterday, the Polish government has agreed to transfer all its MiG-29 aircraft claimed by Ukraine to the US government to eventually transfer them to Ukraine. However, The US stated later that it didn’t believe that Poland’s proposal was “a tenable one” and said it continued consultations.