Polish Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk announced on November 10 that Warsaw and Kyiv signed an agreement establishing joint working groups on drone and anti-drone technologies. He wrote on X that the deal was finalized with Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister, Serhii Boyev, during a visit to Kyiv alongside General Karol Domanowski. The two officials also discussed broader military cooperation and the security of both nations. This announcement follows months of negotiations between the two capitals regarding the exchange of hardware for specialized expertise.
Finalizing the exchange
Tomczyk stated that Poland is "finalizing arrangements for the transfer of Polish MiG-29s to Ukraine in exchange for access to Ukrainian drone and anti-drone technologies." The specific number of aircraft involved in this current negotiation is two. In December 2025, Poland indicated it was considering transferring its remaining MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine in exchange for Ukrainian expertise and technology in drone and missile production. The MiG-29 is a fourth-generation fighter jet designed in the Soviet Union to establish air superiority and provide front-line air defense. Both Ukrainian and Russian forces use the jet in their air forces, making the transfer a significant shift in aerial capabilities for Kyiv.
A rocky path
The deal faced serious challenges in June this year when Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said Warsaw would not proceed with the transfer because Ukraine allegedly failed to uphold its commitment to share drone technology. That public criticism clearly damaged trust, yet the parties returned to the table to sign the new working group agreement. I view the previous stall as a critical warning about the fragility of such exchanges, but the current signing suggests a renewed commitment to closing the gap. Poland previously transferred 14 MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine in the spring of 2023, becoming the first country to supply Kyiv with warplanes after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. Now, the focus shifts to whether Ukraine can deliver the promised technological integration before the final handover occurs.
