Sweden, Ukraine Sign Deal on Joint Defense Production
Sweden and Ukraine havesigned an agreement to jointly produce defense equipment in the Scandinavian country for use by the Ukrainian military.
The deal, signed by Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson and his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal, combines Sweden’s industrial capacity with Ukraine’s expertise in unmanned systems, electronic warfare, and software.
The cooperation is framed as part of Sweden’s military support for Ukraine, but is also expected to strengthen Sweden’s own defense industry.
“Sweden is eager to intensify its defense industrial cooperation with Ukraine,” stated Stockholm’s minister of defense.
Under the agreement, the two countries “aim to strengthen both Swedish and Ukrainian rearmament. By combining a Swedish industrial base, Ukrainian innovation, and Ukrainian battlefield experience, we can build a stronger joint defense industry,” added Jonson.
Sweden’s Support for Kyiv
While Denmark and other European states already cooperate with Ukrainian defense companies, Sweden’s support for Kyiv has so far focused on military aid packages and equipment transfers.
In March, Stockholm pledged 16 billion kronor ($1.6 billion) in its largest package since Russia’s 2022 invasion, including about 5 billion kronor ($525 million) for Ukraine’s defense industry, international funds, and donations from Swedish Armed Forces stockpiles.
The announcement followed Sweden’s decision to increase defense spending by about 300 billion kronor ($30 billion) over the next decade, a measure the Scandinavian nation described as its most extensive rearmament effort since the end of the Cold War.
Moreover, Stockholm’s support has also extended to battlefield tactics, authorizing Ukraine to use donated weapons for strikes inside Russia, a step Kyiv had long requested from Western backers.
