Sweden may fund Ukraine’s Gripen jets with frozen Russian assets

Sweden has not ruled out the possibility of financing the purchase of Gripen fighter jets for Ukraine through frozen Russian assets.

Payments for 100–150 Jas 39 Gripen aircraft could be covered using the immobilised Russian funds, Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson said, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The estimated price for a single Jas Gripen E variant is about $80 million (800 million kronor), meaning that 100 jets would amount to roughly $8.5 billion (80 billion kronor).

Following Kyiv’s expressed interest in acquiring 100–150 Swedish Gripen fighters, the main issue now concerns the method of payment.

“We are considering the possibility of using frozen Russian assets,” the Swedish Defence Minister noted.

The declaration of intent signed on October 22 by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not specify the number of aircraft to be procured, with the 100–150 figure mentioned only verbally.

Both leaders emphasised that the agreement could prove to be a turning point — not only for Ukraine, which urgently requires stronger air combat capabilities against Russia, but also for NATO and Europe’s overall security architecture.

Fighter jets have remained one of Ukraine’s most urgent needs since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

At the time, Ukraine’s air force was primarily composed of ageing Soviet-era aircraft.

Although Western allies have since supplied Kyiv with older US-made F-16s and a limited number of French Mirage jets, these additions have fallen short of offsetting Russia’s dominance in the skies.

By Jeyhun Aghazada