"This is not ping pong – these are people’s lives" – Zelenskyy asks USA about aircraft from Poland

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on partners to either protect Ukraine’s skies, or at least provide aircraft for defence: Poland was ready to hand them over, but the United States did not support this.

Source: Zelenskyy in a video message

Quote: "14 days of full-scale brutal war, terror against our people. Destruction of cities, blockade of entire areas, constant bombing ...

14 days of no vital decision - not our decision! We would make that decision in a matter of hours if we needed to help our friends.

From the first day of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has been repeating to its partners that if you do not close the skies, you will also be responsible for a catastrophe. A large-scale humanitarian catastrophe.

Russia is using missiles, aircrafts, and helicopters against civilians. Against cities. Against our infrastructure. It is the world's humanitarian duty to respond. But there is no solution."

Details: Zelenskyy thanked Poland for the "alternative", the readiness to provide Ukraine with combat aircraft.

According to him, "the issue is logistics" – which is a technical issue that must be resolved immediately.

Quote: "There is an official decision of Poland to transfer the aircraft to the appropriate base - the US base. We also have confirmation that the agreement between the American side and Poland has been reached. But now we hear that Poland's proposal has no rationale. Will there be a solution?

Listen: we are at war! This is not ping pong! These are human lives! Once again, we’re asking you to decide this quickly. Don’t shift responsibility but send us the aircraft. "

Background:

On 6 March, a White House spokesman told the media that the United States were discussing with Poland the possibility of providing fighter aircraft to Ukraine.

On 8 March, the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs said his country was ready to provide the MiG-29 fighter aircrafts requested by Ukraine to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany but asked the United States to provide aircraft to replace them.

The United States said that Poland's decision to make its MiG-29s available to the United States has not been agreed and was an "unexpected step" for Washington, and that the decision to transfer aircraft from Poland to Ukraine is up to the Polish government, however the US government considers the Polish offer as unjustified.

Russia has threatened that any supply of weapons to Ukraine will be considered an intervention in the war and an attack on Russia.