Swedish Defense Ministry: Talks continue on supply of Gripen fighters to Ukraine

Sweden continues talks on the possibility of supplying Ukraine with its Gripen fighters, Swedish Defense Ministry Paul Jonson said in an interview with the Kyiv Independent, Report informs.

Last fall, the Swedish government confirmed that one of the conditions for the possible supply of JAS 39 Gripen fighters to Kyiv is the Scandinavian country's membership in NATO. The Armed Forces were instructed to assess the conditions for the transfer of these aircraft to Ukraine. Sweden officially became the 32nd member of NATO in March 2024.

“Discussions are ongoing, and they are taking place within the framework of a ‘fighter coalition,’” Jonson said, adding that the negotiations are taking place as part of an initiative to help Kyiv acquire American-made F-16 fighters.

According to Jonson, Europe should strengthen its support for Ukraine and compensate it for the acute shortage of ammunition that occurred as a result of cuts in US aid due to internal political disputes. The Kyiv Independent writes that Sweden previously promised to allocate 30 million euros for this initiative.

The Swedish minister also highlighted the defense cooperation between the two countries. Kyiv is already using Swedish-made CV90 armored vehicles in combat operations.