Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that Swedish multirole Gripen fighters are becoming a full-fledged part of Ukraine's air defense system and that their preparation for combat use is ongoing. The minister reported this in his official post on the social network X, as cited by RBC-Ukraine. The statement came against the backdrop of a visit to Kyiv by his Swedish counterpart Maria Malmer Stenergard, who arrived in the Ukrainian capital on Independence Day and held talks with Sybiha on key bilateral security issues.
Talks on Independence Day
According to Sybiha, the meeting with the Swedish Foreign Minister was dedicated, first and foremost, to protecting Ukraine from Russian ballistic terror — this issue, he said, was at the center of both sides' attention. The minister emphasized that Kyiv is making maximum efforts to form a Coalition to Counter Ballistic Missiles, which will allow for the joint development of defensive solutions and the coordination of efforts to obtain and transfer additional interceptors to Ukraine from allies. Separately, Sybiha reminded of the need to strengthen sanctions pressure on Russia's ballistic missile program.
Gripen in the air defense system and the bilateral Drone Deal
Commenting on the aviation track, Sybiha stated: "Swedish Gripen fighters, which possess exceptional characteristics, are being prepared to defend the Ukrainian sky — we discussed the timeline for implementing the agreements between our leaders, as well as the current work on the bilateral Drone Deal." Thus, Kyiv and Stockholm are synchronizing not only the timelines for integrating the fighters into Ukraine's air defense, but are also developing in parallel an agreement on unmanned systems, indicating the comprehensive nature of the military cooperation between the two countries.
The Black Sea, shipping, and grain exports
During the talks, Sybiha also briefed his Swedish counterpart on the developments at the front and drew attention to the need to neutralize Russian threats in the Black Sea. In his words, it is critically important to ensure freedom of navigation and uninterrupted grain exports, which matters not only for Ukraine but also for global food security. To conclude, the minister expressed gratitude to Sweden for its support "not only in words but also in deeds," which, in his assessment, protects Ukrainian independence and shared European values.
Delivery pace and the president's position
The reminder about the preparation of the Gripen for combat use complements earlier statements by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who previously spoke about the number of fighters Ukraine will receive and the deadlines for their transfer, noting that the preparation is proceeding significantly faster than initially planned. The totality of these signals indicates that the delivery of Swedish fighters is viewed by Kyiv as an already agreed-upon and on-schedule element of the defense strategy, rather than a hypothetical prospect.
