Sweden will allocate 28 million euros to several funds to support Ukraine's defense capabilities, the country's Defense Ministry announced on May 9.
According to a statement on the ministry's website, 18 million euros will be given to three coalitions within the framework of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, and 10 million euros will go to NATO's fund for Ukraine.
"The Swedish support will gradually develop towards buying new equipment from the industry for donation to Ukraine," Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said.
"Through these payments to funds, we can strengthen Ukraine's defense in terms of drones, mine clearance and by strengthening the capabilities of the Ukrainian navy," he added.
In March 2024, Sweden officially joined NATO after a lengthy application process triggered by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and was immediately vocal in its calls for other alliance members to do more.
Sweden’s Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom told Euractiv that NATO is not doing enough for Ukraine and some countries in the alliance don’t “understand that the conflict is here and that we need to deal with it."
“We have to understand that Russia is a neighbor that is behaving irresponsibly, which is threatening the world with irresponsible nuclear threats and the idea of recreating its former empire at the expense of independent sovereign states… We have to put an end to that,” he said.
Francis Farrell
