In a move to mitigate political fallout, Ethiopian Airlines says it has never been approached, nor has it held discussions with any party about wet-leasing aircraft to Russian carriers, and has no intention to do so. This comes after a Russian delegation approached Ethiopia’s civil aviation regulator last week to explore the possibility of wet-leasing aircraft from Ethiopian Airlines and proposed cooperation on aircraft maintenance, noting the country’s Boeing-accredited MRO capabilities.

"We would like to inform all concerned that Ethiopian Airlines has never been requested or discussed this topic with any party. Moreover, it does not have any plan or intention to do so. Hence, the news is unfounded. We would also like to assure our customers, partners, and stakeholders that Ethiopian Airlines conducts its operation in full compliance with applicable international laws, regulations, and contractual obligations," the airline said in a statement shared with ch-aviation.

The Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA) earlier this week - in a social media post since removed - reported a visit to Addis Ababa by a Russian delegation led by trade commissioner Yaroslav V. Tarasyuk, which met with Ethiopia's Civil Aviation Authority Director General Yohannes Abera on July 29 to explore expanded bilateral cooperation in aviation, including aircraft leasing, maintenance, and equipment supply. Facing challenges acquiring additional aircraft during the Russian peak summer season, the Russian delegation sought clarity from the ECAA regarding the regulations for wet-leasing from Ethiopian Airlines.

They also expressed interest in supplying Ethiopia with Russian-made navigational aid equipment, stating that Russia provides such equipment to many Indian airports.

Thirdly, the Russian delegation expressed interest in building and expanding MRO facilities in Ethiopia. "As is known, Ethiopia has a Boeing-accredited MRO, and if Russia is interested in joining this, there will be an opportunity," the regulator stated.

Tarasyuk reaffirmed Russia’s readiness to finalise a bilateral air transport agreement between the countries. While a bilateral agreement had been signed previously, a new air transport agreement, compliant with Russian law, is in progress and Russia is eager for its speedy conclusion.

He also requested Ethiopia’s backing in Russia’s bid for re-election to the council of member states during the upcoming 42nd session of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), set to take place from September 23 to October 3 in Montréal.

Abera welcomed Russia’s proposals, affirmed opportunities for Russian suppliers to participate in competitive tenders for aviation equipment, and expressed willingness to review Russian collaboration offers regarding MRO facilities after further consultation with stakeholders.

Faced with a subsequent media storm, the ECAA later removed the statement from its social media.

At a news briefing in Addis Ababa earlier this week, Ethiopian Airlines CEO Mesfin Tasew emphasised that there was no agreement to lease aircraft or spare parts to a Russian airline, calling such claims "completely false," reported the Addis Standard newspaper.

A proposed wet-lease would allow Russian carriers to operate more Western-made aircraft, maintained, crewed, and insured by Ethiopian Airlines under Ethiopian registration.

Russia is currently unable to acquire new Western jets or spare parts directly due to ongoing sanctions amid its ongoing war on Ukraine. By operating under Ethiopian registration, Russian carriers could potentially fly newer Boeing or Airbus models that otherwise would be inaccessible to them.

However, according to Ethiopian news site Addis Insight, an ACMI deal with Russia would draw scrutiny from the European Union and the United States, potentially threatening Ethiopian Airlines’ access to Western airspace, a critical element of its expansive international network.

In June, Ethiopian Airlines CEO Mesfin Tasew told ch-aviation that the airline was facing aircraft shortages itself, and that continued delivery delays into next year could force a revision of its growth projections.

The airline's widebody expansion has been severely affected by production delays at both Airbus and Boeing. Outstanding orders for eleven A350-900s and eleven B787-9s are now scheduled for delivery starting in 2028, a year later than initially expected. In addition, the delivery of eight B777-9s, due in 2027, has been delayed by six months, while the delivery of one A350-1000 has been delayed to August 2025, caused by a late business class seat delivery to Airbus from the supplier. Ethiopian Airlines has been turning to lessors to bridge the capacity gap, with one B787 scheduled for delivery in January 2026 from AerCap. It is also leasing four additional B737-8s from the market starting in mid-2026 as it awaits the delivery of 31 of the type