WARSAW (REUTERS) – US Vice President Kamala Harris will meet Polish leaders in Warsaw on Thursday (March 10) amid disagreements with the japanese European nation over the way to arm Ukraine with warplanes to combat Russia’s invasion.
The United States on Tuesday rejected a shock provide by Poland to switch its Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets to a US base in Germany and put them on the disposal of the United States as a technique to replenish Ukraine’s air power.
Poland’s prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, mentioned any provide of fighter jets to Ukraine should be accomplished collectively by Nato nations.
However, US officers mentioned they had been caught off guard by the proposal and the Pentagon rapidly deemed it untenable.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pleading for Nato to impose a no-fly zone or present it with fighter jets. The United States and its allies are keen to assist Ukraine however are cautious of any step that may draw them into direct battle with Russia.
The US choice to not go forward with the switch was criticised by many Republican lawmakers.
“The president should explain exactly why he vetoed fighter jets for Ukraine,” Senator Ben Sasse mentioned.
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“Two days ago, the secretary of state gave a green light to MiG transfers but now the Department of Defence is raising red flags – what’s going on?”
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki mentioned US ties with Poland stay robust and she or he doubted Harris would focus on the difficulty in a significant manner on her journey this week to Poland and Romania.
The nations, that are Nato’s easternmost members, have been anxious about rising Russian aggression within the area.
They share a border with Ukraine and hundreds of refugees are crossing it.
During her go to, Harris is anticipated to debate methods Nato members can implement the financial sanctions put in place and the way they’ll keep aligned. She may also meet Ukrainian refugees in Poland and focus on humanitarian and safety help to Ukraine and the area.
Poland has accepted greater than 1.2 million folks escaping Ukraine, whereas Romania has taken in about 291,081 folks fleeing the Russian invasion. More than 2 million folks have fled from Ukraine.
Harris will meet Morawiecki and Polish President Andrzej Sebastian Duda on Thursday. She may also meet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has been in Europe this week assembly Ukrainian allies.
