Slovakia offered US helicopters for giving jets to Ukraine

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — The United States has offered Slovakia 12 new military helicopters as compensation for the MiG-29 fighter jets the European country is giving to Ukraine. Slovakia’s defense minister said Wednesday that under the offer, his country would pay $340 million for the Bell AH-1Z attack choppers in a deal worth about $1 billion that also includes 500 AGM-114 Hellfire II missiles and training. Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad said U.S. foreign military financing would cover the other $660 million. He said the European Union also would send Slovakia 200 million euros ($213 million) in additional compensation. Nad said his country’s armed forces currently don’t have any combat helicopters.