War in Ukraine: Sweden announces the transfer of 36 Gripen fighter jets to the Ukrainian Air Force, including 16 “as a gift”

Ukraine and Sweden concluded a major agreement in Uppsala for 36 Gripen combat aircraft, combining purchase and donation, as part of strengthening Ukrainian air defense against Russia. Kyiv will partly finance this modernization thanks to the 90 billion euro loan granted by the European Union for 2026–2027.

This Thursday, May 28, 2026, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine will purchase up to 20 latest generation Gripen E/F, while Stockholm will give 16 older Gripen C/D. The donated aircraft are to be delivered from the beginning of 2027, while the first Gripen E/F (new models) are expected from 2030, once negotiations are finalized and production adjusted.

“The Gripen is the best and most sensible choice for Ukraine. Today we therefore take another major step in this common journey,” Ulf Kristersson said at a press conference alongside Volodimir Zelensky at the Uppsala air base in the capital. north of Stockholm. “We need these planes and, for us, this truly marks a new chapter for Ukraine,” said the Ukrainian president, adding that he planned to buy all of the 150 planes planned in the initial letter of intent. “God help us, we will have sufficient funding for this,” he said.

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Able to take off on small roads

This commitment is a continuation of the letter of intent signed in October 2025, which opens the way to a potential order of 100 to 150 Gripen E/F to ultimately constitute a new Ukrainian air force. Zelensky reaffirmed his ambition to achieve this volume, subject to sufficient financing and Saab’s industrial capacity.

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Financially, the agreement is based on the 90 billion euro loan decided by the EU to cover Ukraine’s needs in 2026–2027. This mechanism, financed by a common European debt, provides 60 billion for military aid and 30 billion for budgetary support, with the objective of stabilizing the country at war. According to the Swedish authorities, Kyiv plans to allocate around 2.5 billion euros from this loan to the Gripen program.

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The choice of the Gripen, a multirole fighter designed by Saab, is strategic: the aircraft is renowned for its versatility, its ability to operate from short runways (such as roads and runways) and lower operating costs than other Western aircraft such as the F‒16 or the F‒35 which Ukraine also wishes to part with.