Behind Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in the aircraft hangar at Uppland Air Wing were the two versions of the Gripen aircraft that the deal concerns.
First, the newest, the Gripen E/F. This is the one Ukraine will now buy, with deliveries starting in 2030.
Partly an older version, the C/D, which is intended to be delivered as early as the beginning of next year.
Met in Linköping
The agreement is based on a declaration of intent both countries presented in October last year in Linköping at Gripen manufacturer Saab.
However, Ukraine has already been allowed to test the Gripen and a pilot reportedly called the fighter a "game-changer", meaning it could radically change the war against Russia.
According to Kristersson, Sweden has not set any conditions on how or for what the Gripen should be used.
"No, we are not making any such counter-demands. It is about building an air force system in Ukraine that they simply do not have," he tells TT.
Given how the war has developed in recent months - are fighter jets really the most urgent need for Ukraine at the moment?
I'm not going to evaluate exactly how they see it; air defense is what they always say. It's about everything from anti-drone capabilities to taking down ballistic missiles or having your own capabilities in the air.
"A few years ago we did not think it was appropriate to introduce several foreign systems at the same time. Now Ukraine has decided that it is Gripen that they want in the long term," says the Prime Minister.
Financed through loans
The purchase of around 27 billion kronor is financed by a support loan from a €90 billion package the EU will pay to Ukraine over two years, a package that was previously blocked by Hungary and former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. After Orbán's election loss earlier this year, Hungary has now adopted a more pro-EU view.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is confident in the significance of the deal:
"It is precisely the determination that Sweden has shown that brings us closer to peace. It gives us better opportunities to save the lives of our citizens," he says.
The designation E is a single-seat aircraft, F is a two-seater.
Compared to the Gripen C/D, the E/F's length increases from 14.1 to 15.2 meters for the E version and to 15.85 meters for the F version.
The wingspan increases from 8.4 to 8.6 meters, the maximum take-off weight from 14 to 16.5 tons, and payload capacity increases by 13 percent.
Range will be longer because, among other things, internal fuel tanks are 40 percent larger and the engine is 22 percent more powerful.
Radar and warning systems are also improved, with new avionics, new sensors and a new electronic warfare system.
The plane can accelerate and turn faster without losing speed.
Source: Saab, Swedish Armed Forces
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Sweden has (up to April 2026) contributed around SEK 128 billion in support to Ukraine. This also includes support to Moldova. Of this, SEK 103 billion has gone to military support and SEK 25 billion to civilian support, including humanitarian aid.
Source: Government
