After Pentagon Rejects Poland’s Plan to Provide Fighter Jets, Crapo, Risch, Colleagues Call for Biden, NATO Allies to Expedite Aircraft and Defense Systems to Ukraine

Washington, D.C.--Following the U.S. Department of Defense’s decision to reject Poland’s plans to provide MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and 38 colleagues in calling on President Biden to work with Poland and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to expedite the transfer of aircraft and air defense systems, as well as additional support capabilities, to Ukraine.

In the letter to the president, the Senators write, “We urge your Administration to work with Poland and our NATO allies to expedite the transfer of urgently-needed airpower, air defense systems, and other combat and support capabilities from the United States, NATO allies, and other European partners to Ukraine.”

They continue, “While we commend the lethal aid that your Administration has sent to Ukraine thus far, we strongly disagree with your decision to delay and deny Poland the option to transfer fighter jets to Ukraine. Your Administration champions the $1 billion in defense articles provided to Ukraine over the past 13 months and has definitively stated there are no restrictions in your current suite of authorities to adequately respond to Russia's lawless and bloody invasion of Ukraine.”

They conclude, “We implore you to act without delay to provide urgently needed airpower that will bolster the ability of the Ukrainian armed forces to defend their country and help save civilian lives.”

To read the full letter, click HERE.

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