Pappas says he still wants MiGs transferred to Ukraine

Mar. 22—Congressman Chris Pappas said Tuesday he continues to urge the Biden administration to find a way to transfer Russian-made MiG fighter jets to the embattled Ukrainian military.

"It's important that we don't let Vladimir Putin define the terms of our support for Ukraine," the New Hampshire Democrat said.

Pappas made his remarks during a press conference to highlight the Burial Equity Act, legislation he sponsored that allows for guard and reserve members to be buried in state veterans cemeteries.

On March 11, Pappas and and 15 other U.S. House members wrote President Joe Biden and encouraged him to facilitate the transfer of MiG-29s from Poland to Ukraine. The administration has not done so, despite pleas by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Biden administration has expressed fears that the MiG transfer would pull NATO deeper into the conflict.

Pappas noted that the administration has agreed to transfer surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine, which Pappas and the other members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, had suggested.

"There continues to be more that the United States government needs to look into to support Ukraine and our allies and partners in the region," Pappas said.