Sweden to Supply Gripen Fighters to Ukraine as EU Funds Back Purchase and 16 Older Jets Donated
Sweden will sell up to 20 Gripen fighters to Ukraine financed by European funds and donate 16 older Gripen C/D aircraft, with first deliveries starting next year and newer jets arriving from 2030.
Sweden announced on Thursday that it will sell as many as 20 Gripen E/F fighter jets to Ukraine using European Union financing and will donate 16 older Gripen C/D aircraft to bolster Kyiv’s air defences. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson made the announcement alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has previously signalled ambitions to acquire many more Gripen fighters. The Swedish government said the first donated C/D aircraft are due to be handed over next year, while deliveries of the newest variants are scheduled to begin in 2030.
Deal terms and delivery schedule
The Swedish statement sets out a two-tier arrangement in which immediate capability is provided through donations of older jets and longer-term reinforcements are secured by a financed purchase. Sixteen Gripen C/Ds will be transferred beginning next year, while up to 20 of the more advanced Gripen E/F models will be sold with delivery staggered from 2030. Officials described the arrangement as aimed at addressing both near-term operational needs and the longer timeline required to equip and sustain more modern fighters.
EU funding and Ukraine’s purchase plan
Sweden said the sale of the Gripen E/F aircraft will be financed by European funds, and Ukrainian authorities expect to contribute roughly €2.5 billion toward the purchase. The announcement follows a 2025 letter of intent in which Kyiv expressed interest in acquiring between 100 and 150 Gripen E aircraft, a project that would require significant financing and industrial coordination. Swedish and Ukrainian officials framed the current agreement as a stepping stone that could be scaled if broader European or allied funding arrangements are secured.
Background on Gripen procurement talks
Discussions over supplying Swedish Gripen fighters to Ukraine date back several years and have at times been paused or recalibrated in response to allied priorities. Stockholm suspended plans in 2024 to transfer aircraft after partners urged prioritizing American F-16 fighters, illustrating the complexity of coordinating multinational military support. The renewed decision reflects shifting political calculations and a willingness by Sweden and European partners to commit funds to secure Swedish-built aircraft for Ukrainian use.
Sweden’s aid contribution since the invasion
With this Gripen agreement, Sweden places its military assistance to Ukraine at an estimated €11.8 billion since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022, according to government figures released alongside the announcement. The package adds both materiel and symbolic weight to Stockholm’s support, underscoring Sweden’s role as a consistent backer of Kyiv across diplomatic, financial and defence channels. Officials said the deal will also involve training, logistics and maintenance planning to ensure Ukrainian pilots and ground crews can operate the aircraft effectively.
US systems request and broader defence needs
President Zelensky continues to press the United States and Congress for further air-defence capabilities, including additional Patriot missiles or licences to produce them domestically, according to his comments at the press event. Kyiv sees Patriot batteries as crucial for countering ballistic threats now being launched against Ukrainian territory, particularly ahead of winter months when such attacks have historically intensified. The Swedish announcement does not substitute for the layered, short- and long-range air-defence systems that Ukrainian leaders say are still urgently required.
UN warning on escalation and civilian casualties
The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Türk, issued a public warning about a dangerous escalation in the conflict and urged both parties to resume negotiations to reduce civilian suffering. Türk noted that civilian deaths recorded in the first four months of the year rose by about 21 percent compared with the same period in 2025, a statistic that framed calls for restraint at Thursday’s press conference. UN officials stressed that any increase in heavy weapon deliveries to front lines carries humanitarian as well as military implications.
Sweden framed the move as historically significant, saying it materially strengthens Ukraine’s air-defence posture while also demonstrating coordinated European financial backing. Kyiv has indicated it hopes to scale purchases beyond the current agreement if funding and political support allow, and officials on both sides said the arrangement will include follow-on discussions about training, sustainment and possible industrial cooperation. The deal marks a notable development in Western support for Ukraine, balancing near-term donations with a long-term acquisition pathway for modern fighter capability.
