Sweden Adds Military Assistance To Ukraine Worth IDR 3.1 Trillion, Will Gripen Fighter Jets Send?

Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson during a demonstration in support of Ukraine last year. (Wikimedia Commons/Frankie Fouganthin)

JAKARTA - Sweden will deliver new aid military aid packages to Ukraine worth 2.2 billion crowns or around Rp. 3,125,623,138,000, most of which consist of artillery ammunition, Defense Minister Pal Jonson said.

In addition, Minister Jonson also said it was considering deliveries of Jas Gripen fighter jets, where the armed forces would report on November 6 about the jet's potential shipment.

But he reiterated, for reasons of domestic security, Sweden needed to become a member of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) before the country could potentially deliver any fighter jets.

Sweden hopes to join the NATO defense alliance soon, although access is hampered by approval from two members, Turkey and Hungary.

It is known that this new military aid package will be the 14th that Sweden has given to Ukraine since the Russian invasion. In total, so far the value of the Nordic state's aid has reached more than 22 billion crowns.

"We need to design our support to be long-term and sustainable," Minister Jonson said.

"Now it is important for more countries to take action to support Ukraine," he exclaimed.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday warned European leaders at an informal meeting in Granada, Spain, Russia could attack other countries within five years, if Europe wavered in support of Kyiv.

Nevertheless, he said he was still confident in the continuation of financial assistance from the United States and Europe.