By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – U.S. legislators pressed President Joe Biden to allow the Ukraine transfer of fighter planes from Poland, NATO countries and Eastern European countries to Ukraine on Monday after a request from Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukrainian President.

Although the White House did not object to planes going to Ukraine, it said that it saw logistical problems.

Bob Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote to Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, requesting Washington to make a commitment to swap any donated planes for upgraded Western aircraft. This includes concessionary financing as loans, as well as pricing subsidized.

He said that NATO should also redeploy fighter planes to bases where they have donated aircraft.

Zelenskiy called for European nations to supply Russian-made aircraft for Ukraine’s defense against Russian invaders, during a Saturday video call with U.S. legislators.

Russian-made warplanes are used in many Eastern European air forces. Transferring such aircraft to Ukraine will allow Ukrainian pilots to take control of the planes.

Menendez stated that he would support Senate efforts to make measures to pay our allies who provide aircraft to Ukraine for defense.

On Monday night, members of the U.S. Senate attended a briefing by State Department officials about Ukraine. They stated that they didn’t believe Poland had made a decision on whether or not to send the plane. Others suggested that other countries could also send planes but refused to name them.

Spokesperson for the State Department stated that they were working closely with Poland, and are currently consulting with NATO members.

This is Poland’s sovereign choice. “We have not opposed Poland’s transfer of planes to Ukraine,” said the spokesperson in an email.

According to administration officials, there were difficulties with moving the aircraft into Ukraine as well as providing replacement U.S. airplanes.

Jen Psaki (White House Press Secretary) stated, “It’s not as easy just moving planes about.”

Biden’s colleagues Democrats and Republicans have called on Washington to make every effort to send aircraft to Ukraine. They even suggested that countries sending Russian-made MiGs could “jump the queue” in order to obtain U.S. made F-16s. Lockheed Martin (NYSE: ) – To replace them.

Russia calls its action “a military special” whose goal is to dearm Ukraine and counter NATO aggression. It also wants to capture Ukrainian leaders that it refers as neo Nazis.