Sweden announces $200 million military aid package, considering sending fighter jets
Sweden will send a new military aid package worth 2.2 billion Swedish krona ($199.8 million) to Ukraine, the Swedish Defense Ministry announced on Oct. 6.
The ministry has also asked its armed forces to assess whether Sweden can deliver Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine. Ukrainian pilots have already performed test flights on the jets.
Kyiv has been seeking to obtain modern Western fighter jets, such as F-16s and Gripens, to bolster its air force amid the ongoing Russian invasion.
The results of the report are due by Nov. 6, but domestic security considerations mean that Sweden first needs to become a member of NATO before it can give away any of its jets, according to Jonson.
NATO member states Turkey and Hungary are currently posing an obstacle to the accession of Sweden.
On Sept. 25, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he saw no urgency to approve Sweden's NATO bid.
The following day, Reuters reported that Turkey would only ratify Sweden's accession to NATO if the U.S. approves the sale of its F-16 fighter jets to Ankara.
The new Swedish military aid package consists mainly of artillery ammunition, but also spare parts, infantry equipment, and communications equipment.
This is the 14th Swedish military aid package to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, bringing the total value of military support donated by Sweden to 22.2 Swedish krona ($2.02 billion).
Kateryna Ilnytska
