Swedish government approves $ 300 million artillery package for Ukraine

Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson announced that Sweden will provide 18 Archer self-propelled artillery systems and five Arthur radar systems to Ukraine as part of its 18th military aid package. Additionally, the country will fund Ukrainian weapon and ammunition production.

The announcement comes as US President Donald Trump continues to push for Kyiv-Moscow talks, allegedly to end the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. In the first weeks of March, the US first suspended, then resumed its military aid to Ukraine, increasing pressure on its leadership to negotiate.

Jonson wrote on X that the package is worth approximately $300 million.

“Sweden has previously donated 8 Archer systems to Ukraine. They are appreciated by Ukraine and have done a good job at the front in delivering damage to the Russian occupiers,” he stated.

According to the Swedish minister,

“With a combination of speed, precision and mobility, Archers are a formidable weapon in Ukraine.“

The five Arthur systems will help Ukrainian forces detect artillery shells and calculate their origin points, providing position data for counter-battery fire. Jonson noted that Arthur systems have previously been donated to Ukraine by both Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Sweden will also join the artillery coalition under the Ukraine Defense Contact Group to coordinate and supply Ukraine’s defense forces with modern artillery systems, ammunition, and training.

“The long-term goal is to strengthen Ukraine’s artillery capability and increase interoperability with NATO,” the minister explained.

Ukrainian defense industry support

In addition to the artillery systems, the Swedish government announced it will fund Ukrainian weapons production through the “Danish model.” According to a government statement, the financial support could potentially be used for producing 155 mm ammunition or the Ukrainian Bohdana artillery system.

The specific amounts and timeframes of this funding were not disclosed, nor was a complete list of weapons types that would receive the financial support.

“Ukraine is in great need of artillery and artillery ammunition. This has been highly prioritized by Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion began. Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umierov was clear about this when I met him over the weekend,” Jonson stated in the government announcement.

The total value of the donations is approximately 3 billion kronor or about $300 million, with deliveries of Arthur systems planned to begin in 2025 and Archer systems in 2026.

The Swedish government also noted that increased production volumes in the Swedish defense industry will help strengthen supply security and production capacity for defense equipment in Sweden, Ukraine, and Europe.

Related:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!