Foreign Ministers Meet As Germany Approves Export Of MiG-29s

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang have met in Samarkand, Uzbekistan for discussions on the war in Ukraine.

• According to a statement from the Chinese MFA, Qin told Lavrov, "there is no panacea for resolving the crisis... all parties need to create conditions for ending the war and peace talks."
• The Chinese MFA states that, "China will continue to play a constructive role in promoting a political settlement and restarting peace talks."
• The meeting comes as Germany's Der Spiegel reports that Germany has approved the re-exportation of German MiG-29s from Poland to Ukraine, noting that Poland has already dispatched 8 planes to Kyiv with four more awaiting imminent transfer.
• FDP defense expert Marcus Faber, quoted by Der Spiegel, said: "It is correct that the federal government did not postpone the decision... The Ukrainian side will certainly be very pleased with this speed."
• Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said after a Pentagon meeting with US Def Sec Lloyd Austin yesterday that Ukraine is building a "fighter jet coalition," to bolster Ukraine air capabilities and called on the US to dispatch F-15 or F-16 fighter planes.