Sweden has signed a letter of intent that could lead to it supplying up to 150 of its domestically produced Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced on Wednesday following his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The two leaders held talks in Linköping, southern Sweden, and visited Saab, the manufacturer of the JAS 39 Gripen fighter, GlobalEye surveillance aircraft, missile systems, and anti-tank weapons.
Kristersson said at a press conference that the countries had reached a long-term air defence cooperation agreement, which includes the potential export of 100 to 150 new Gripen E fighters, potentially Sweden’s largest-ever aircraft export deal.
“We are fully aware that it’s a long journey ahead,” Kristersson said, standing beside a Gripen in Swedish colours. “But from today, we are committed to exploring every possibility to provide Ukraine with a significant number of Gripen fighters in the future.”
Zelenskyy calls Gripen jets a priority
The idea of supplying Gripens to Ukraine has been discussed over the past two years but was paused while Kyiv focused on integrating U.S.-made F-16s, which it began deploying last August.
“We have started the process of obtaining Gripens for Ukraine and expect the future contract to allow us to acquire at least 100 of these aircraft,” Zelenskyy said through a translator.
Ukrainian pilots have already tested the Gripen in Sweden to help pave the way for a potential export. The aircraft is known for being durable and comparatively cost-efficient next to fighters such as the U.S. F-35.
Zelenskyy added that Ukraine hopes to receive and begin using the Swedish jets next year. “For our armed forces, the Gripens are a priority. It’s about both resources and manoeuvrability,” he told reporters.
Kristersson stressed that no final decisions had been made yet but estimated that production and delivery of the first new jets could take around three years.
The Gripen, in service since 1996, has seen around 280 units built. Saab’s shares rose 4.3% by 13:47 GMT following the announcement.
Sweden itself has ordered 60 of the latest Gripen E model, and Saab is expanding capacity at its Linköping plant to produce 20–30 aircraft per year in the coming years. The company is also assembling Gripens in Brazil.
Before arriving in Linköping, Zelenskyy briefly stopped in Oslo, where the Norwegian government announced an additional 1.5 billion Norwegian crowns (about $149 million) in aid for Ukraine to purchase natural gas for heating and electricity.
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators began the second round of U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, according to Ukrainian officials....
Uzbekistan is accelerating plans to expand uranium production and deepen international nuclear cooperation, positioning the sector as a pillar of long...
A landmark gathering of commercial and political minds has convened in the Kyrgyz capital, signalling a significant shift in Washington’s foreign po...
Syrian government security forces entered the Kurdish-controlled northeastern city of Qamishli on Tuesday (3 February), security sources and witnesses...
Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes killed at least 18 people, including four children, in Gaza on Wednesday, Palestinian officials said, as Israel h...
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators began the second round of U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, according to Ukrainian officials.
Uzbekistan is accelerating plans to expand uranium production and deepen international nuclear cooperation, positioning the sector as a pillar of long-term industrial growth and resource security.
A landmark gathering of commercial and political minds has convened in the Kyrgyz capital, signalling a significant shift in Washington’s foreign policy approach towards the Eurasian heartland.
Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes killed at least 18 people, including four children, in Gaza on Wednesday, Palestinian officials said, as Israel halts the passage of patients through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt.
Talks with the U.S. should be pursued to secure national interests as long as "threats and unreasonable expectations" are avoided, President Masoud Pezeshkian posted on X on Tuesday (3 February).
Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío has denied that Havana and Washington have entered formal negotiations, countering recent assertions by U.S. President Donald Trump, while saying the island is open to dialogue under certain conditions.
Mexico said it will stop sending oil to Cuba as U.S. President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on the Caribbean nation.
Web Summit Qatar 2026 opened in Doha on Sunday, drawing tens of thousands of founders, investors, policymakers and technology leaders to what organisers describe as one of the region’s largest digital economy gatherings.
Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX has acquired his artificial intelligence firm xAI, as the billionaire moves to bring more of his technology businesses under one structure.
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators began the second round of U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, according to Ukrainian officials.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk said the search at his social media platform X offices in Paris on Tuesday by French authorities was a "political attack".
Thousands of documents linked to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been taken down from the U.S. Justice Department’s (DOJ) website after victims and their lawyers warned that sensitive personal information had been exposed.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 4rd of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Tuesday (February 3) one day after the U.S. and India signed a trade deal.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment