Uppsala, Sweden. Ukraine will buy 20 new Gripen fighter jets and Sweden will donate 16 older-model aircraft next year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Thursday. The two leaders said the transfer is part of a wider plan for Ukraine to acquire up to 150 Saab Gripen E jets.
Deal outline
Zelenskiy and Kristersson made the announcement at a joint press conference at Uppsala air base, where two Gripen jets were on display. The leaders signed a letter of intent last year that laid the groundwork for Sweden to sell up to 150 Gripen E fighter jets to Ukraine, although deliveries of the newer model are still several years away.
Stopgap aircraft
The older C/D model jets are intended to provide a temporary solution for Ukraine’s air defence while the newer aircraft are not yet available. Zelenskiy said Ukraine had allocated 2.5 billion euros from a 90 billion euro EU loan package for the planes, and said the country planned to buy all 150 jets covered by the original letter of intent.
Statements from leaders
“Gripen is the best and optimal choice for Ukraine. So today, we take the next major step on this joint journey,” Kristersson said. Zelenskiy said the agreement marked “a new page for Ukraine” and added, “God bless, we will have enough financing for this.”
Background
Ukraine’s defence minister said in May that a deal for Gripen E could be signed “within months” after the European Union approved a 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine. Deliveries of the new model are expected to begin in 2030.
Sweden’s support
Sweden said it has so far provided 128 billion Swedish crowns, or $13.75 billion, in military and civilian aid to Ukraine. It has also set aside 80 billion crowns in aid for this year and next.
Market reaction
Shares in Saab rose 4.4% at 11:41 a.m. GMT, making the company the top gainer in Europe.
Ukraine’s air force
Ukraine’s air force operates a mix of Soviet-made and Western aircraft. Gripen is viewed as a cost-efficient alternative to fighters such as the more advanced American F-35, in part because it is designed to be easy and quick to maintain and to operate from dispersed air bases, including ordinary roads.
