Firm Pentagon ‘no’ to Polish plan to send jets to Ukraine

By ROBERT BURNS and VANESSA GERA
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is rejecting a Polish plan to provide Ukraine with MiG fighter jets by transferring them through a U.S. base in Germany. The Pentagon said Ukraine has greater needs and that a U.S. intelligence assessment says such an aircraft transfer would pose “high risk” of escalating the war. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Polish counterpart on Wednesday and informed him of the U.S. decision. He said the U.S. is pursuing other options that would provide more critical military needs to Ukraine such as air defense and anti-armor weapons.