Ukraine has begun discussions with Sweden about the possibility of obtaining Gripen aircraft to strengthen air defense, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said on Saturday after a meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Reuters reports.

Zelensky, accompanied by first lady Elena Zelenska, is on his first visit to Sweden since Russia invaded in February 2022, and the Gripen talks, which he described as preliminary, came after the United States gave the green light to Denmark and the Netherlands to send F. – 16 fighters to Ukraine.

“Today we discussed in detail further steps regarding the possibility of opening the topic of receiving Swedish Gripen aircraft,” Zelenskyy said at a joint press briefing with Ulf Kristersson. He added that the topic would be at the center of his discussions with other Swedish officials.

In June, Sweden’s government, which is preparing to join NATO, said it would allow Ukrainian pilots to test Saab’s Gripen fighter jet, but also said all its planes were needed to defend the country’s territory.

On Saturday, Zelenskyi also announced that Ukrainian pilots have already started training on airplanes.

Kristersson, however, did not mention the Gripen jets in his comments, but condemned the Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv that killed seven people and injured more than 100 on Saturday.

“This only reinforces the need to be with you in all your difficulties,” Kristersson told Zelenskyi.

Also, Ukraine and Sweden signed an agreement according to which Ukraine will start production of the Swedish combat vehicle CV90.

Zelensky was also scheduled to meet with the Speaker of the Swedish Parliament, the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces and the leaders of Sweden’s main political parties, the Swedish government said in a statement.

Sweden has helped Ukraine in its military operations by supplying weapons such as tanks, anti-aircraft systems and Type 90 armored infantry fighting vehicles. Sweden’s Defense Minister Pal Jonsson said on Tuesday that his government is preparing a new $313.5 million military support package for Ukraine. consists mainly of ammunition and spare parts for previously delivered weapons systems.

This package will be the 13th that Sweden has provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the war, bringing the total amount of aid provided by the Scandinavian country to 1.8 billion dollars.

During the visit to the Kingdom of Sweden, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi and First Lady Olena Zelenska also met with King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Queen Silvia of Sweden.

The head of the Ukrainian state expressed his gratitude to Sweden for the comprehensive support of Ukraine in its struggle for independence and territorial integrity. “We greatly appreciate Sweden’s powerful assistance in all possible directions. This is a significant contribution to the struggle of Ukrainians for freedom and for the European future,” stressed Volodymyr Zelenskyi, according to the press release of the Ukrainian Presidency.

The President of Ukraine noted Sweden’s support for Ukrainian citizens who were forced to temporarily hide in this country, escaping from Russian aggression. The head of state thanked Their Royal Highnesses and the Royal Family of Sweden for the great attention paid to the needs of these people. Volodymyr and Olena Zelensky also talked about the consequences of the aggressive war unleashed by Russia and thanked the Swedish side for the humanitarian aid provided to the victims in Ukraine.