Sweden has signed a letter of intent to potentially supply Ukraine with 100 to 150 Gripen fighter jets, as announced by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The discussions took place in Linkoping, where they also visited Saab, the manufacturer of the Gripen and other defense equipment. Kristersson emphasized that both countries signed a long-term cooperation agreement regarding air defense, stating their commitment to explore options for providing Ukraine with Gripen fighters.
The idea of supplying Gripens to Ukraine has been considered for two years but was previously delayed for Ukraine to focus on integrating American-made F-16 fighters. Zelenskiy mentioned that Ukraine expects to secure at least 100 Gripens and highlighted that Ukrainian pilots have tested the aircraft in Sweden to prepare for a possible export. He stated that acquiring Gripens is a priority for the Ukrainian army, citing financial and operational reasons.
While nothing is finalized yet, Kristersson projected that it could take three years to produce and deliver the new jets. Saab plans to increase production capacity in Linkoping, aiming for 20-30 Gripen jets annually in a few years. Additionally, Zelenskiy visited Oslo, where Norway pledged 1.5 billion Norwegian crowns to assist Ukraine with natural gas purchases.
With information from Reuters