The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, appealed to Western partners not to procrastinate with decisions on assistance to Ukraine with weapons and to reconsider supply priorities.
He stated this in his address on Saturday night.
"These are aircraft for Ukraine. These are tanks for our state. These are air defense systems. These are anti-ship weapons. These are the things our partners have. The things that are gathering dust on them - he said. In the end, it's all not only for the freedom of Ukraine but for freedom in Europe. Because it is unacceptable for everyone on the continent if the Baltic states, Poland, Slovakia, and the whole of Eastern Europe are at risk of a clash with the Russian invaders."
According to the President, European countries can become victims of aggression only because "they will leave somewhere in the hangars only one percent of all NATO aircraft and one percent of all NATO tanks."
"One percent! We did not ask for more. And we do not ask for more. And we are already waiting for 31 one days, - said Volodymyr Zelenskyy. - So who runs the Euro-Atlantic community? Is it still Moscow using threats?"
President Zelenskyy also told about the discussion between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense and their colleagues from the United States.
"As I was told, they discussed these vital issues mentioned above, among other things. They talked about what we need while this ping-pong continues - who and how should give us the aircraft and other protection means. Ukraine can't shoot down Russian missiles with shotguns and machine guns; there are too many in deliveries, said Zelenskyy. It is impossible to liberate Mariupol without a sufficient number of tanks, other armored military vehicles, and, of course, aircraft."
On 8 March 2022, the government of Poland agreed to transfer all of their MiG-29 aircraft claimed by Ukraine to the United States. The fighters were to be transferred to the US military base Ramstein in Germany and then moved to Ukraine. Instead, the United States has said it does not consider Poland's offer viable. However, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki has said the United States does not object to transferring the aircraft to Ukraine.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the US decision to deny Ukraine the transfer of Polish MiG-29 fighters was made personally by President Biden, who vetoed the delivery of aircraft so as not to provoke Vladimir Putin to escalate the war.