Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this Saturday thanked the King of Sweden, Charles XVI Gustaf, for the military and humanitarian support the Nordic country is providing to Kiev, during a visit to Stockholm aimed at aiding the defense of Ukraine.
Zelensky and his wife Olena were received at Stenhammar’s palace by Swedes Carlos Gustavo and Silvia at the end of a day with a busy political agenda, including the Ukrainian president’s meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
The leader of Ukraine proposed to the head of the Swedish government to provide Gripen fighter jets, as well as the imminent start of production in Ukraine of CV-90 armored vehicles, also manufactured in Sweden.
The Ukrainian president arrived in the Swedish capital today, a few days after the Scandinavian country pledged another $300 million (about €275 million) in military aid.
The aid consists of ammunition and parts for the 90 and 122 main battle tanks and the Archer artillery system, but Zelensky insisted Kiev was also interested in CV-90s for production on Ukrainian soil.
Already in a press conference, Zelensky assured that he wants to negotiate with Stockholm for the supply of the Swedish Gripen fighters and announced that he will negotiate with other countries this week for the supply of fighter jets, including the European Eurofighter Typhoon.
“Sweden has always supported Ukraine. After Russia’s relentless aggression, this support could only be strengthened,” said Kristersson, who expressed his condolences to Zelensky for the “act of cruelty” suffered by Ukraine this morning, referring to the missile launched by the city hit. center of Chernihiv.
The Ukrainian president’s visit to Sweden comes nearly a year and a half after the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and at a time when Sweden, like neighboring Finland, is about to join NATO.
Shortly after the outbreak of hostilities, in February 2022, Sweden abandoned its doctrine of not supplying arms to countries at war and delivered thousands of anti-tank weapons to Kiev.
In July, Turkey ended its opposition to Sweden’s membership of the Atlantic Alliance, giving the green light to Stockholm’s membership aspirations.
Moscow, for its part, believed that Sweden’s entry into NATO would have “negative consequences” for Russian security and planned to take “planned and expected” measures.
Source: DN
