Sweden Donates 16 Gripen Jets to Ukraine, Signs $2.7B Aid Package; PM Kristersson Visits Kyiv — Day 1,554

On May 28, 2026 — Day 1,554 — Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson visited Kyiv and announced the largest Swedish military support package of the entire war, worth approximately $2.7 billion. Key components: (1) Sweden will donate 16 used Saab JAS 39 Gripen C/D multirole fighter jets to Ukraine, with first deliveries expected in early 2027 — making Sweden the first European country other than France to donate supersonic combat aircraft. (2) Ukraine will have the option to purchase up to 20 new Gripen E jets (more advanced variant), financed through a €2.5 billion EU Ukraine Support Loan, with deliveries from 2030. (3) The package includes long-range strike capabilities, artillery ammunition, electronic warfare systems, and $400 million earmarked specifically for Ukrainian drone production — a critical capability in the 2026 war economy. The Gripen is a light, fast, 4th-generation fighter produced by Saab AB; the C/D model is the existing export variant and the E is the latest-generation export variant with AESA radar and internal IRST. Ukraine had been lobbying Nordic countries for combat jets since 2023; France was the first to pledge Mirage 2000-5s in June 2024. ISW assessed that the Gripen donation, combined with French Mirages and F-16s from Denmark/Netherlands/Belgium/Norway, will significantly enhance Ukraine's ability to defend against Russian guided glide bomb (KAB) attacks that devastate fixed defensive positions.