Ukraine will acquire 20 new Swedish Gripen E fighter jets and receive 16 older C/D models next year, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Thursday (28 May), in a move aimed at strengthening Kyiv’s air force.
The announcement was made during a joint press conference at Uppsala Air Base, where two Gripen jets were displayed.
Kristersson said the agreement marked a significant step in defence cooperation between the two countries.
“Gripen is the best and optimal choice for Ukraine. Today, we take the next major step on this joint journey,” he noted.
Zelenskyy described the deal as a key development for Ukraine’s military aviation capabilities, adding that the country intends to acquire up to 150 Gripen jets under an earlier letter of intent signed last year.
“We need these jets and for us this is really a new page for Ukraine,” he said.
He added that Ukraine had allocated €2.5 billion from a broader €90 billion EU loan package to help finance the aircraft purchase.
The agreement comes as Ukraine continues to rebuild its air force. The Gripen is widely regarded as a cost-effective platform capable of operating from dispersed runways, including roads, making it particularly suited to wartime conditions.
Deliveries of the newer Gripen E model are expected to begin in 2030, while the donated C/D aircraft are set to provide more immediate reinforcement.
Sweden has been one of Ukraine’s key defence supporters since the start of the war, providing more than 128 billion Swedish crowns (U.S.$13.75 billion) in combined military and civilian aid. It has also set aside an additional 80 billion crowns in support for this year and next year.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to res...
Afghanistan and Belarus have agreed to advance joint industrial projects, investment and technical cooperation following talks in Minsk, as Kabul s...
Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are drawing up a new programme aimed at boosting bilateral trade to $1 billion by 2030, as the two countries move to deep...
The collective-defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signals that regional powers no longer want to rely solely on external security guarantees. Whether it becomes a stabilising deterrent or another axis of rivalry remains unresolved.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six World Central Kitchen colleagues killed in Gaza in April 2024.
North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles after U.S. President Donald Trump reduced American participation in joint military exercises with South Korea in an effort to revive dialogue with Pyongyang.
Georgia’s foreign trade data for January-July 2026 shows Kyrgyzstan, China and Russia as its top three export markets, highlighting its Middle Corridor ambitions and complex economic ties with Moscow.
Kazakhstan will vote on 23 August in its first parliamentary election under the new Constitution, choosing 145 members of the new Kurultai under a fundamentally changed electoral system based entirely on party lists.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment