Sweden Adds US$7.47 Billion Budget To Ukraine's Military, Ready To Help Poland

UNSPLASH/Lerone Pieters ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Sweden has budgeted an additional 70 billion crowns ($7.47 billion) for military support for Ukraine over the next two years.

Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson also said his country was ready to provide further support to Poland if needed.

Most of the spending will be allocated through purchases managed by Sweden's defense material agency, for example an additional Archer artillery system, the type already used by Ukrainian forces in the war with Russia.

Jonson said Sweden expressed its solidarity with Poland over the Russian drone strike and was ready to donate military assets to the country if needed.

"We have immediately contacted the Polish Defense Minister and stated that we are willing to provide resources if Poland identifies any interest in this," Jonson said.

"We are completely consolidated with Poland," he said.

Poland, backed by planes from NATO allies, shot down several Russian drones suspected of being in its airspace on Wednesday, the alliance's first time it was known to have opened fire during the Russian war in Ukraine.

Moscow denies responsibility for the incident. A senior diplomat in Poland said the drones came from Ukraine. Russia's Defense Ministry said its drones had carried out massive attacks on military facilities in western Ukraine, but had no plans to strike any targets in Poland.