“Ukrainian pilots are already training on Swedish Gripen fighters” – Zelensky

Ukrainian pilots have already begun training on Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets, as agreed between the two countries earlier this year, Zelensky says during his meeting with the Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson.

The Ukrainian government has repeatedly requested modern fighter jets from several states, including Sweden.

Gripen aircraft are the pride of Sweden. I firmly believe they can make our freedom much more secure. Gripen test flights involving Ukrainians, our pilots, have begun, Zelensky said in a press conference.

The Ukrainian president added that he and the Swedish Prime Minister had thoroughly discussed further steps on the prospect of raising the issue of supplying Ukraine with Gripen aircraft.

I will meet with the Speaker of the Parliament, representatives of parliamentary faction parties and push this issue as one of the crucial ones to protect our skies, he said.

Ukraine made its primary requests regarding the warplanes back in the summer of 2022. In February 2023, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov expressed Ukraine's urge to receive the Swedish jets.

Back in May, Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson announced that several Ukrainian pilots would be trained on the JAS 39 Gripen following a request from the Ukrainian side. The Swedish Defence Ministry confirmed this agreement in June.

Zelensky arrived in Sweden to meet with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson during his visit. The talks would focus on military assistance, the development of bilateral cooperation, particularly in the defense industry, Ukraine's EU integration, and the Euro-Atlantic security guarantees.

Ukraine's President lifted up the topic of joint production of Swedish-made CV-90 armored vehicles, as the main topic of the visit would be defense capabilities during the full-fledged war. Both states signed a memorandum on arms production.