Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited Sweden on May 28, 2026, to discuss expanded defense cooperation with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. The visit resulted in Sweden pledging a military aid package worth about $2.7 billion to Ukraine, which includes donating 16 older JAS 39 Gripen C/D fighter jets at no cost and launching formal talks to sell up to 150 newer Gripen E jets to Kyiv [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].

Zelenskiy called acquiring Gripen fighters a priority for rebuilding Ukraine’s air force amid its ongoing war with Russia. He said the donated Gripen C/D jets would carry missiles capable of pushing Russian aircraft farther from targets launching guided glide bombs, enhancing Ukraine’s air defenses and protecting civilians [2, 5]. “Today on a working visit to Sweden, we are preparing a large defense package for Ukraine and a strong step towards Gripen fighter jets, which will definitely make our Combat Aviation more effective,” Zelenskiy said [7].

The aid package allocates over $2 billion specifically for aircraft and weapons systems, alongside about $400 million for domestic drone production [5]. Kristersson praised Ukraine’s resilience and called the agreement a next step in cooperation. “Ukrainian forces continue to demonstrate exceptional resilience, skills and determination in defending your country and our values,” he said [5].

Negotiations will formalize the sale of 100 to 150 newer Gripen E jets, following a non-binding letter of intent signed in October 2025. Saab, the Swedish aerospace company, confirmed Ukraine intends to buy an initial batch of up to 20 Gripen E jets in addition to those donated, though contracts have not yet been signed [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Delivery of the more advanced Gripen E fighters will take several years, with the first donated Gripen C/D jets expected as soon as early 2027 pending export licenses and agreements [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].

The European Union recently approved a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine, which is expected to facilitate financing for the Gripen E deal within months [1, 3, 4, 6]. Earlier, some partner countries prioritized US F-16 jets for Ukraine, which had temporarily paused Gripen deliveries, but the renewed Swedish aid signals revived momentum [2].

Ukraine expects to receive its first Gripen aircraft within 10 months from the May 28 announcement, marking a significant boost to its air combat capabilities [5].