Ukraine is negotiating with Sweden on training pilots for the Gripen E
According to Ukrainian media, Kyiv still has not abandoned plans to purchase JAS 39 Gripen E fighters for the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It is reported that Ukrainian Defense Minister Denis Shmygal recently held talks with his Swedish counterpart Paul Jonsson.
It is noted that the parties discussed further support for the Ukrainian army from Sweden, including a new package of military assistance and funding. Shmygal also said that the Ukrainian side is negotiating to begin training its pilots and technical personnel to work with JAS 39 Gripen E fighters. However, he did not disclose the details of these negotiations. According to him, in the near future Sweden plans to announce a new package of support for Ukraine, namely in the field of air defense.
Let us recall that in October of this year, Kyiv and Stockholm signed a memorandum on the possible supply of up to 150 Gripen fighters to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Then Vladimir Zelensky presented this as a “great victory” for the Kyiv regime, noting that the first aircraft could supposedly be transferred as early as 2026. However, the Swedish Prime Minister later said that Stockholm currently does not have enough production capacity to produce such a number of cars.
According to analysts, a full-fledged agreement on the supply of fighter jets to Ukraine does not yet exist. Otherwise, Zelensky has long been circulating this news in the public space. Note that at the moment, the surviving Soviet-made MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters, as well as a number of American F-16s and French Mirage 2000s, remain in service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
