MiG-29: Bulgaria competes with Ukraine for Polish fighter jets

Poland has confirmed that it has received an inquiry from a NATO member state regarding the MiG-29 fighter jets that Warsaw originally planned to provide to Ukraine. According to Polish and Ukrainian media, this refers specifically to Bulgaria – one of the two countries in the Alliance that still use MiG-29s in their Air Force.

Polish Deputy Minister of Defense Paweł Zalewski revealed in an interview with "Radio ZET" that an unnamed country had made an official request for the aircraft or parts thereof, at a time when Warsaw is conducting negotiations with Kyiv regarding their transfer. Although he did not name it, the fact that only Poland and Bulgaria possess MiG-29s in NATO points the suspicions toward Sofia.

Bulgaria's interest in the MiG-29

Bulgaria maintains a limited fleet of MiG-29s, only a small portion of which are airworthy, and the delay in the delivery of the new F-16 Block 70s leaves a "gap" in combat fighter aviation. Therefore, the interest in the Polish aircraft – whether as complete machines or as a source of spare parts – is seen as an attempt to extend the lifespan of the Bulgarian MiGs until the arrival of the new Western fighters.

Media cite former Polish Minister of Defense Janusz Onyszkiewicz, according to whom the MiG-29s could go to Bulgaria if Warsaw and Kyiv fail to agree on the terms of the deal. Poland has about 14 aircraft of this type, for which a transfer to Ukraine has long been discussed in exchange for drone and manufacturing technologies.

The official position of Sofia

The Bulgarian Ministry of Defense denies conducting negotiations for the purchase of MiG-29s from Poland, claiming that at the moment no purchase of aircraft is being discussed, but at most – spare parts for the repair of its own machines. Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov nevertheless admitted that an official inquiry had been sent to Warsaw regarding its intentions for the Polish MiG-29s and the possibility of them being used to maintain the Bulgarian fighters.

Poland, for its part, refuted the version that Sofia is only interested in parts – according to Zalewski's statements, the Bulgarian side has shown interest in all available MiG-29s. The deputy minister even commented that if Ukraine does not agree to a deal for the aircraft, they could be transferred to Bulgaria, since the machines are in "sufficiently good condition" and "the Bulgarians want to buy them."

Ukraine and the blocked deal

Ukraine has been negotiating with Poland for years to receive MiG-29s in exchange for drone know-how and technological solutions for their production. However, the negotiations are hampered – both due to the terms of the deal and due to the technical condition and the resource of the aircraft, which leaves other scenarios open for their future.

If an agreement between Kyiv and Warsaw is not finally reached, the option of the machines going to Bulgaria remains realistic, especially given Sofia's need to maintain its air sovereignty until the arrival of the F-16s. Thus, the MiG-29s, originally considered an asset intended for the Ukrainian Air Force, could become an object of competition between two allied NATO nations.

The broader context for Bulgarian defense

Analysts note that a potential purchase of Polish MiG-29s by Bulgaria would be an admission of the failure of long-standing efforts to modernize military aviation. Instead of transitioning entirely to Western fighters, the country is trying to extend the life of the old Soviet machines to fill the time gap until the full introduction of the F-16s.

At the same time, the competition with Ukraine for the MiG-29s puts Sofia in a delicate position – Bulgaria officially supports Kyiv, but the practical needs of national defense drive it to seek the same resources that Ukraine needs at the front. Whether the Polish fighters will end up in the Bulgarian Air Force or still head to Ukraine depends on the outcome of the negotiations and the political decisions in Warsaw, Sofia, and Kyiv.