Plans for Poland to send fighter jets to Ukraine have been given the 'green light' by the US amid warnings from Russia that countries hosting Kyiv's military aircraft could end up being involved in an armed conflict.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today that the country was in talks with Poland in order to orchestrate a deal that would allow Polish fighter jets to be flown by pilots from the Ukrainian Air Force in order to combat Russia's air superiority.
The deal would see Ukraine take Poland's 28 Russian-made MiG-29 warplanes, which would in turn be replaced by a fresh set of F-16's by the United States.
Mr Blinken told CBS's Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan: 'That gets the green light. In fact, we're talking with our Polish friends right now about what we might be able to backfill their needs if in fact they choose to provide these fighter jets to the Ukrainians. What can we do?
'How can we help to make sure that they get something to backfill the planes that they're handing over to the Ukrainians?'
It comes as Russia's Defense Ministry today warned countries, including NATO member Romania, against hosting Kyiv's military aircraft, saying they could end up being involved in an armed conflict.
Defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a video briefing that some Ukrainian combat planes had redeployed to Romania and other Ukraine neighbours he did not identify.
He warned that if those warplanes attacked the Russian forces from the territory of those nations, it 'could be considered as those countries' engagement in the military conflict'.
Mr Konashenkov said: 'We know for sure that Ukrainian combat aircraft have flown to Romania and other neighbouring countries.
'The use of the airfield network of these countries for basing Ukrainian military aviation with the subsequent use of force against Russia's army can be regarded as the involvement of these states in an armed conflict.'
The spokesman also claimed that 'practically all' Ukraine's combat-ready aircraft had been destroyed.
Earlier today US army general Mark Milley visited a training centre in Pabrade, Lithuania, amid the escalating crisis in Ukraine.
Ukraine fears an attack from the air may soon be the go-to choice of tactics by Russia after their ground offensive appears to be making far slower progress than the Kremlin had anticipated.
The White House is now working out the practicalities of carrying out a deal, including the crucial question of how the Ukrainians would physically be able to get their hands on the planes.
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