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On Thursday, US Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with Polish leaders in Warsaw, despite misunderstandings with the eastern European country over how to arm Ukraine with fighter planes to fight Russia’s invasion.
The US rejected Poland’s surprise offer on Tuesday to transfer its Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets to a US base in Germany and put them at the disposal of the US as a means of replenishing Ukraine’s air force.
Mateusz Morawiecki, Poland’s Prime Minister, stated that any supply of fighter jets to Ukraine must be done collaboratively by NATO countries. The proposal, however, caught US officials off guard, and the Pentagon rapidly deemed it untenable.
Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has been pleading with NATO to impose a no-fly zone or provide fighter jets. The US and its allies want to help Ukraine but are wary of taking any steps that could put them in direct conflict with Russia.
Many Republican lawmakers criticized the US decision not to proceed with the transfer. Senator Ben Sasse said, “The president should explain exactly why he vetoed fighter jets for Ukraine.”
“Two days ago, the secretary of state gave the go-ahead for MiG transfers, but now the Pentagon is raising red flags — what’s going on?”
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the United States’ ties with Poland remain strong, and she doubted Harris would address the issue in depth during her trip to Poland and Romania this week.
The countries, which are NATO’s easternmost members, have expressed concern about rising Russian aggression in the region. They share a border with Ukraine, and thousands of refugees cross it every day.
During her visit, Harris is expected to discuss how NATO members can implement economic sanctions and remain aligned. She will also meet with Ukrainian refugees in Poland, where she will discuss humanitarian and security assistance for Ukraine and the region.
Poland has accepted over 1.2 million people fleeing Ukraine, while Romania has taken in approximately 291,081 people fleeing the Russian invasion.
On Thursday, Harris will meet with Morawiecki and Polish President Andrzej Sebastian Duda. She will also meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is currently in Europe meeting with Ukraine’s allies.
