Ukraine Gripen fighter jet deal could be signed within months, defence minister says

By Johan Ahlander

STOCKHOLM, May 7 (Reuters) – Ukraine’s purchase of Saab-made Gripen fighter jets could be signed within months, the country’s defence minister said on Thursday as he visited his Swedish counterpart in Stockholm.

The countries last year signed a letter of intent that could see Sweden supply up to 150 Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine.

With the first deliveries estimated at three years away from any deal being finalised, the planes are seen as a priority for Ukraine’s post-war fighter fleet – but there have been questions about funding.

“We have our plan how to finance it,” Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said. “I think in a few months it will be good news for your country, for our country and bad news for Russians,” he told a joint press conference.

Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson told Reuters after the press conference that negotiations were going well and did not rule out a deal this year for the Gripens, Saab’s fourth generation fighter jet that is seen as a cost effective alternative to Lockheed Martin’s F-35.

Jonson told Reuters that part of the 80 billion Swedish crowns ($8.70 billion) that have been set aside in the government budget for aid to Ukraine this year and next could be used to help finance the deal.

“We are also talking to other countries about what they can possibly contribute. It could be, for example, training or weapons systems,” he said.

Swedish defence group Saab’s CEO told Swedish media this month that he hoped an agreement, which would be Sweden’s biggest ever arms export deal, could be signed this year after Hungary reversed its veto to a European Union 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine.

Jonson also said that a deal to loan, sell or gift existing Gripens of an older model, to be delivered much faster, was progressing well.

($1 = 9.1962 Swedish crowns)

(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom and Johan Ahlander; Editing by Louise Rasmussen, Niklas Pollard and Alison Williams)