Sending F-16 fighters to Ukraine would be a “very serious decision” that was “not easy to take”, Polish President Andrzej Duda told British television network BBC during an interview excerpts of which were published on Saturday.

The Polish president made these remarks ahead of his visit to Great Britain on February 16-17.

Jets to Ukraine decision "not easy" says Poland https://t.co/yoKVXPvNwt

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) February 11, 2023

Scarcity issue

The president said that sending F-16 fighters to Ukraine by Poland would pose a “serious problem” because “we do not have enough of these jets and we would need many more of them.”

Duda explained that there were fewer than 50 F-16 jets in the Polish air force.

Maitnance and servicing problem

The president went on to say that combat aircraft, such as the F-16s, had a “very serious need for maintenance” so it was “not enough just to send a few planes.”

He stressed that Ukraine would need “technical background, technical servicing, and so on.”

A joint decision

Duda further stated that Poland was a NATO member, and as a member of the Alliance, any decision to provide fighter jets had to be a “joint decision” by Ukraine’s allies rather than one made by any single country.

He emphasized Ukraine is also in need of armaments and that different kinds of weapons have to be delivered to Ukraine so it can defend itself from Russia.

Poland has been one of Ukraine’s main supporters since Russia invaded the country and has contributed vast amounts of military aid. Poland also became a place of refuge for more than a million Ukrainians.