Biden Refuses to Comment on Possibly Sending MiGs to Ukraine After Signing New $800 Million Aid Package

President Joe Biden refused to comment on Wednesday on the possibility of the United States sending MiG fighter jets to Ukraine following his signing of an $800 million aid package to Ukraine amid the Russian invasion.

During a virtual speech to Congress earlier in the day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for, among numerous things, for the Soviet-era fighter jets to be sent to Ukraine.

“Mr. President, what will it take for you to send the Polish MiGs that President Zelensky is asking for,” asked NBC News chief White House correspondent Kristen Welker after Biden signed the aid package following remarks in which he announced the details.

“I’m not going to comment on that right now,” replied Biden. “I’m not going to comment on anything other than what I’ve told you today.”

The United States has declined a Polish offer to facilitate the transfer of the MiGs to Ukraine, arguing that it would provoke Russia and that Ukraine has enough fighter jets.

“At this time, we believe the provision of additional fighter aircraft provides little increased capabilities at high risk,” said Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby last week. “We also believe that there are alternative options that are much better suited to support the Ukrainian military.”

The MiG-29, according to freelance journalist Sally Guyoncourt, “[was] originally created for combat with enemy aircraft, [and] they have been redesigned to become agile multirole fighters now capable of limited ground attack as well. Later models have glass bubble canopy cockpits, modern radar, infrared search and track sensors and some can be refueled from the air.”

Watch above, via CNN.