Details: Sweden gives tanks to Ukraine

Finland said on Thursday that the country’s defense forces will give up three Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Norway announced earlier that it would give eight.

According to information published by TT, the Swedish government plans to present Sweden’s 11th military aid package to Ukraine this week. It is said to contain, among other things, tanks and anti-aircraft guns.

Defense Secretary Paul Johnson (L) was asked on Wednesday if Sweden would donate Leopard tanks to Ukraine. Then he said:

We are open to it and we have a close dialogue with Germany in particular about it.

However, Johnson added that Sweden’s main contribution in terms of ground combat is the already promised 50-90 combat vehicles. Preparations are also underway to field the Archer artillery system.

But Tanks would be another strong signal as a complementary contribution, according to Johnson.

The Swedish defense has 120 Leopard tanks.

Many of them say yes

Defense policy spokesman for the Christian Democrats Mikael Oskarsson believes Sweden should send a “number” of Leopard tanks.

Tanks are a crucial factor when it comes to ground battles. Ukraine has been asking them for a long time, Oskarson says, so they can launch attacks and take back territory.

He notes that Norway, for example, gives Ukraine eight tigers.

The Social Democrats also believed it was time to send in Leopard tanks. Former Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist confirms that many other countries are preparing to meet.

Fourteen tanks

The Swedish Democrats also want to send in Leopard. This was already called for in January when the party’s foreign policy spokesman, Aron Emilson, wrote a discussion article on the subject.

The SD estimated that Sweden should be able to field 14 tanks.

– It is not laid stone on stone, we also want to hear the assessment of the Armed Forces, says Emilson.