Stockholm does not exclude the possibility of sending Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine in the future, said Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom in Davos, UkrInform reports.
The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a fourth-generation multi-role fighter aircraft that has been designed with versatility in mind. It is formally classified as a fighter jet, but in reality, it is a multi-role aircraft capable of performing various tasks.
At the end of May 2023, the Swedish government had allowed Ukrainian pilots to train on the JAS 39 Gripen, they had the opportunity to train on simulators and conduct test flights.
Swedish foreign minister Tobias Billstrom added that while his country is considering the possibility of supplying Ukraine with Gripen fighter aircraft, any decision on this matter is contingent upon the country’s accession to NATO.
“The prime minister of Sweden has been very clear when he’s been asked that question, that ‘we are not ruling anything out’,” Billstrom said, commenting on whether Sweden would send Gripen aircraft to Kyiv.
Ukraine Mission Head: NATO positively assesses F-16 deployment preparations in Ukraine
Currently, Ukrainian pilots are undergoing F-16 fighter jet training in both the US and the EU, as preparations for the arrival of the F-16s in 2024 include the readiness of airfields in Ukraine.
Read also:
- Bulgaria to grant access to its skies for Ukraine’s F-16 training
- Radio Sweden: Ukrainian pilots test-flew Gripen fighter jets
- Ukrainian Air Force pilots begin F-16 flights in Denmark’s skies
- Media: Sweden to consider sending Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine
- Sweden: no plans to send Gripen fighters to Ukraine
