Ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Ukraine will receive 16 Gripen C/D fighter jets as military aid, along with 16 Gripen E aircraft under a separate contract.

According to Kristersson, Ukraine has purchased the latest generation of Gripen E fighters, with a contract signed for 16 aircraft. At the same time, Sweden will transfer the same number of existing Gripen jets, bringing the total to 32 aircraft, although the deliveries will take place at different times.

He said support for Kiev remains one of Stockholm’s key priorities. Kristersson noted that the Ukrainian army continues to fight thanks to assistance from Western allies, which, in his view, should not only be maintained but increased. He also urged other NATO members to step up their own deliveries.

Earlier, on June 30, Saab announced that it had signed a contract with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration to supply 16 Gripen E fighter jets for Ukraine. The order is valued at about $2.54 billion, with formal processing scheduled for the third quarter of 2026.

Deliveries of the Gripen E are expected to begin in 2029–2030. The first Gripen C/D aircraft could be transferred to Ukraine as early as the beginning of 2027.