Sweden currently does not plan to transfer JAS 39 Gripen fighters to Ukraine, because the country itself needs these planes for defense while it is not a member of NATO.
Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson informed about this on August 21.
"Sweden is a geographically large country, we have to defend ourselves, and we are not yet in NATO. We are not in that situation. We will do everything to support them with aviation, but so far there are no new commitments to provide Swedish aircraft to Ukraine," explained Ulf Kristersson.
On August 19, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky visited Sweden, where he negotiated future deliveries of JAS 39 Gripen fighters. According to him, tests of the Gripen "with the participation of Ukrainians — our pilots — have already begun", but he did not provide any details.
- In February of this year, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine informed that the Gripen is one of the best machines for the Armed Forces. In June, the Swedish government announced that as part of the 12th package of aid to Ukraine, pilots would be trained to fly the Gripen.
- On August 20, Zelensky said that the Netherlands can transfer 42 fighter jets, and Denmark — 19. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen informed that the first group of six F-16s will leave for Ukraine closer to the New Year. These are the first countries that announced the transfer of fighter jets to Ukraine.
- Ukrainian pilots have already started F-16 training in Great Britain and Denmark. These countries led the coalition for the training of Ukrainian pilots, which also included Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Sweden.