Ukraine’s Zelensky signs bilateral security deal with Sweden in push for Western support

As part of his efforts to get more military backing from the West for his fight against Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bilateral security pact with Sweden on Friday. This is one of three agreements he has planned with Nordic nations.

The declaration is made while Western countries debate whether to permit Ukraine to deploy Western weapons to attack Russian military targets that are aiding an attack on Kharkiv, a city in northern Ukraine.

Sweden has agreed to provide an additional 7 billion crowns ($7 billion) in military help to Ukraine between 2024 and 2026, raising its total funding to almost $10 billion between 2022 and 2026.

Along with all of its armored tracked personnel carriers, Sweden is also transferring two ASC 890 observation planes, which are thought to be essential for spotting incoming cruise missiles, drones, and targets in the air and at sea.

However, Stockholm would not yet deploy Saab Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, as debates continue over whether Ukraine should instead get US-made F-16 fighter jets to keep up with NATO countries’ aviation capability.

Sweden joined the Western military alliance this year, but does not have such jets.

Air defense, ammunition manufacturing, and collaborative weapons manufacture are on the agenda for Friday’s meeting with Zelensky, the prime ministers of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland, as well as the president of Finland.

The Nordic countries are now all NATO members and have been firm allies of Ukraine.

Zelensky stated that he would also sign bilateral agreements with Norway and Iceland on Friday. Denmark and Finland inked 10-year security agreements with Ukraine in February and April, respectively.