Sweden, a new NATO member, is willing to sell Ukraine up to 150 of its state-of-the-art fighter jets, the first offer from an alliance member to supply Kiev with large numbers of jets as it seeks to shore up its small and aging air force.
The deal signed by Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Wednesday is a letter of understanding, meaning the exact terms, cost and delivery dates for the 100 to 150 Saab Gripen-E jets have not yet been determined.
But both leaders said this could be a game-changer, not only for Ukraine, which desperately needs more air combat capabilities in its fight against Russia, but also for NATO and European security as a whole.
“We are opening a completely new and truly meaningful chapter in our bilateral relations, namely in the relations between Ukraine and Sweden, and more broadly in the whole of European security relations,” President Zelenskiy said in a post on X.
“These are very cool airplanes and powerful aviation platforms that allow us to perform a wide range of missions,” Zelenskiy said.
“This will strengthen both Ukraine, Sweden and Europe,” Kristersson said in a statement.
Sweden joined NATO in 2024, along with its Nordic neighbor Finland. Joining the alliance, ending a long-standing policy of non-alignment, was prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Fighter jets have become a critical need for Ukraine since Russia invaded its neighboring country in February 2022. At that time, the Ukrainian Air Force consisted mainly of Soviet-era aircraft. Western powers supported Kiev with older American F-16s and a small number of French Mirages, but it was not enough to counter Russia’s air superiority.
However, experts believe that Gripen-E is well suited to Ukraine’s operational conditions.
The Gripen fighter jet has a reputation for being relatively inexpensive, easy to maintain and arm, and capable of operating in harsh conditions, using roads and dirt roads as runways.
The first version of the jet dates back to the late 1980s, but the E model only entered service with the Swedish Air Force earlier this month.
The Gripen-E model has numerous upgrades and is “in many respects a new type of aircraft,” with new radar and communications systems, better sensors, and the ability to deploy new weapons, the Swedish military said in a release at the time.
Manufacturer Saab calls the single-engine Gripen E a “game changer” with its ability to network sensors and coordinate missile launches across the fleet. At the same time, the jets have AI capabilities built into them, Saab said.
Each jet has 10 “hard points” for attaching missiles that can attack other air or ground targets.
The Gripen-E will be familiar to pilots who have flown previous models, the company said.
This could be important as Ukrainian pilots are testing and training on older Gripen jets and simulators, the head of communications for the Ukrainian Air Force told RBC Ukraine on Wednesday.
Some observers have pointed to the possibility that this training could allow Ukraine to take over older Gripen models and keep them up until the arrival of the E models in about three years.
Still, Zelenskiy told a news conference in Sweden that he hoped his country could receive and begin using Gripens next year.
“The Gripen is a top priority for our military,” he said, according to Reuters.
Kiev could become the world’s top Gripen E operator if the deal is completed, with 150 planes ultimately heading to Ukraine.
In addition to Sweden, Gripens are also operated by Brazil, the Czech Republic, Hungary, South Africa and Thailand.
Wednesday’s announcement came days after President Zelenskiy’s attempt to secure long-range Tomahawk missiles for use in strikes deep in Russia was rejected by U.S. President Donald Trump.
President Trump said Wednesday that one of the reasons he rejected Zelensky’s request was that the tomahawk requires a long training period.
“The problem with the tomahawk, which many people don’t know about, is that it takes at least six months, usually a year, to learn how to use it. It’s very complicated,” Trump said.
