UPPSALA — Ukraine and Sweden announced a defense agreement for Ukraine to purchase up to 20 new Gripen E/F fighter jets and receive a donation of 16 older Gripen C/D aircraft, with deliveries scheduled to begin early next year. The deal was formalized during a press conference at Uppsala Air Base in eastern Sweden, attended by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Ukraine plans to allocate €2.5 billion ($2.9 billion) from the European Union’s Ukraine Support Loan to fund the purchase of the new Gripen E/F combat aircraft. Sweden will separately donate the 16 Gripen C/D jets as bilateral assistance, a move that includes the transfer of advanced ammunition. "The donation also includes advanced ammunition, which may consist of IRIS-T missiles, advanced medium range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM) and long-range METEOR air-to-air missiles," according to a statement from Stockholm.

Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said on X that Gripen deliveries are due to begin "early next year." He added, "The aim is clear: strengthen Ukraine faster now, and build a modern air force for the decades ahead."

The plan to donate Gripen C/D-type jets had been under consideration since 2022 but was initially put on hold until Sweden became a NATO member state. Further delay occurred after allies advised Sweden to wait so Ukraine could first integrate F-16 aircraft donations. In September 2024, Sweden approved the donation of Gripen spare parts valued at 2.3 billion SEK ($214 million).

A letter of intent for Ukraine’s possible procurement of up to 150 Gripen E/F aircraft was signed in October 2024. A November 2022 report from the UK’s Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) judged the Gripen aircraft "by far the most suitable candidate" of Western-manufactured combat jets for Ukraine, capable of meeting operational requirements. The report noted that the Swedish Air Force’s employment of "low level air superiority tactics from dispersed bases" are similar to Ukrainian Air Force missions. It also argued that supplying Gripen jets would minimize the risk of Ukraine being subjected to long-range missile strikes by Russia.