Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced on Wednesday that his country will give Ukraine another 6.5 billion euros in military aid, spread over three years, to fend off the Russian invasion.
“This support will help finance long-term donations of additional military equipment and the purchase of new equipment for direct delivery from the defense sector to Ukraine,” Kristersson said, addressing Ukrainians as he announced the aid package in Stockholm.
“The cause of Ukraine is the cause of Sweden,” he added in a video shared on social media platform X.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion more than two years ago, Sweden has put together 15 military aid packages for Ukraine, Kristersson said. The new defense support must be spread over the years 2024 to 2026.
According to the government in Stockholm, the total promised military and civilian aid from Sweden will amount to 100 billion Swedish krona ($9.3 billion).
“With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the security situation in Europe is the worst since the Second World War,” the government said in a statement.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Stockholm for the new help.
“This is really tangible and will strengthen not only us, not only Ukraine, but the entire European region, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea,” Zelensky said in a video message.
Neutral Sweden joined NATO in the wake of the Russian invasion and is one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters.
