Fighter aircraft for Ukraine only in Nato framework says PM

Poland can only send fighter aircraft to Ukraine within the Nato framework, Poland’s prime minister said in Thursday.

Ukraine has made repeated calls for it to be provided with Western combat aircraft. Addressing the UK parliament yesterday Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, said: "And I appeal to you and the world with simple and yet most important words: combat aircraft for Ukraine. Wings for freedom."

At a press briefing in Brussels before the start of an extraordinary session of the European Council, Morawiecki said: "Our position is unequivocal. We can act only within the framework of the entire formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation."

"If such a decision is made, we will not be the first to hand over fighters," he added. "We will certainly respond positively to this, but provided that those who have the most of these fighters, have the most modern fighters, will be able to donate them to Ukraine."

The prime minister argued that this was the only possible formula, and Poland "would certainly not be in the front row here" because "we still have an insufficient number of fighters".

"Our security takes first place here; we cannot lead to any weakening of our security," Morawiecki said.

At the press briefing Morawiecki also emphasised the importance of sending more ammunition to Ukraine, "Ammo, ammo and more ammo. This is what Ukraine needs most," the prime minister said.