Swedish and Ukrainian personnel will collaborate to develop new weapons.
There, Swedish personnel will work with defense innovation, says Pål Jonson.
The idea is to combine the research and industrial expertise available in Sweden with the Ukrainians' fresh knowledge from the war against Russia. Pål Jonson and Denys Sjmyhal signed a declaration of intent to establish the hub before the press conference.
“Investing in our security”
Supporting Ukraine is both the right and wise thing to do. It is also an investment in our own security, says Pål Jonson.
Denys Sjmyhal does not want to give an exact date for when the hub can be up and running.
As soon as possible, he says.
We already have many, I would say, agreements and declarations of intent, and even contracts, between Swedish and Ukrainian companies. However, I cannot say the names of the Ukrainian companies, because then the Russians will destroy their properties. But we already have it in place, and we will continue to cooperate.
Pål Jonson highlights drones as something that Sweden is "very interested" in working on further with Ukraine:
Unmanned systems in all domains, including maritime ones.
Want older Gripen models
Earlier on Thursday, Denys Sjmyhal visited the Saab factory in Linköping.
Last month, Ukraine signed a letter of intent to buy over 100 Jas Gripen E fighter jets from Sweden. Sjmyhal says that within “the coming days, or next week” they will be able to announce the first steps and how the agreement will be financed.
When the declaration of intent was presented, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) said that a first possible delivery of Jas Gripen E could be within three years.
With that in mind, Denys Sjmyhal also says that the Ukrainian side will "ask Sweden, as a friend", to have existing Jas Gripen fighter jets delivered as early as next year.
Sweden can imagine this as a solution to the problem of manufacturing time versus Ukraine's needs, says Jonson.
"The Gripen C/D can fill that gap. We just need to confirm what the needs are, what training is needed, and so on," he says.
Ukrainian pilots have previously visited Sweden for a five-week orientation training in Gripen C/D.
