Sweden announces $440 million support package for Ukraine

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Sweden will send its 17th aid package to Ukraine with further military support totalling 4.6 billion Swedish crowns ($443 million), Defence Minister Pal Jonson said on Monday.

The new package will include ammunition for infantry fighting vehicles already donated by Sweden, as well as purchases that would facilitate a transfer of Gripen fighter jets in the future, though no such transfer has been decided on yet.

"We want to have the ability to donate Gripens to Ukraine at a possible later stage," Jonson told a press conference.

Jonson said support included additional combat boats, missiles and camouflage gear as well as funding to support defence procurements for Ukraine. The measures were decided in close collaboration with Kyiv.

About half of the value of the package consisted of parts needed in Sweden's production of the latest model Gripen E fighters for its own air force. This would mean Sweden would not as previously planned need to cannibalize its existing C/D models as part of the upgrade, allowing the older jets to transferred to Ukraine at a possible future date.

"At present, it is not on the cards to transfer JAS Gripens to Ukraine as this would disturb the introduction of F-16s," the government said in a statement.

($1 = 10.3724 Swedish crowns)

(Reporting by Niklas Pollard, additional reporting by Anna Ringstrom; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Angus MacSwan)