Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Sweden to start a new round of talks with allies on weapons systems that could strengthen the country\u2019s defenses and boost a slow-moving offensive to take back land occupied by Russia.<\/p>\n
At a press conference at Harpsund, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson\u2019s country retreat, Zelenskyy said he\u2019ll hold talks on the delivery of fighter jets with more leaders in the coming days.<\/p>\n
Zelenskyy didn\u2019t specify which countries he would speak to next. Denmark and the Netherlands, which lead an international coalition to provide F-16 jets to Ukraine, said earlier this week that they\u2019ve received U.S. approval to deliver the planes as soon as pilots have been trained on the aircraft.<\/p>\n
Zelenskyy\u2019s comments came hours after a Russian ballistic missile struck the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, killing at least seven people and wounding more than 100 others.<\/p>\n
In his first visit to Sweden since Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Zelenskyy also spoke with Kristersson about the Nordic country\u2019s Gripen fighter jet, and the leaders signed a statement of intent to cooperate on production on CV90 combat vehicles. Ukraine\u2019s pilots have started training flights on the Gripens, Zelenskyy said.<\/p>\n
Kristersson vowed to continue supporting Ukraine\u2019s efforts to take back territory lost to Russia in the invasion, and to back Kyiv\u2019s rebuilding efforts when hostilities end.<\/p>\n
Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine prompted a complete rethink of Swedish security policy, leading it to cast aside decades of military non-alignment and seek membership in NATO. The Nordic country has provided military equipment worth more than 20 billion Swedish kronor ($1.8 billion), including tanks, artillery systems and combat vehicles, to Ukraine. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn the field of foreign and security policy no task is more important for my government than supporting Ukraine in its fight for freedom and territorial integrity,\u201d Kristersson said at a joint press conference with Zelenskyy. \u201cUkraine is fighting for us, for all European democracies.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sweden\u2019s parliament this week approved the transfer of an additional 3.4 billion kronor (about $310 million) in military aid to Ukraine, including ammunition, spare parts, mine-clearing equipment and vehicles.<\/p>\n
Zelenskyy\u2019s visit also included meetings with parliament speaker Andreas Norl\u00e9n, leaders of Sweden\u2019s parliamentary parties, and the country\u2019s king and queen. <\/p>\n
Ukraine\u2019s leader said the key topics for discussion would include \u201cthe development of bilateral cooperation, in particular in the defense industry,\u201d including ways to build up Ukraine\u2019s ground and air defenses.<\/p>\n
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