Doha: Sweden announced on Thursday that it plans to send eight Gripen fighter jets to join NATO's mission in monitoring the airspace of Poland, which borders Ukraine. Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard stated that the aircraft will participate in an operation tasked with protecting the logistical site gathering support for Ukraine. She emphasized that Sweden's participation in the operation is a contribution to supporting the authorities in Kyiv.

According to Qatar News Agency, Pal Jonsson, Swedish Minister of Defense, whose country became a NATO member in March 2024, considered this step to be the first time Swedish fighter jets would participate in airspace monitoring operations from the territory of an allied country. He pointed out that Sweden's Air Force would contribute between six and eight Gripen aircraft, along with ground crews totaling 110 personnel, who will work in NATO's northern air surveillance area.

The announcement comes just hours before an extraordinary summit on strengthening European defense following the freeze of US intelligence assistance to Ukraine by President Donald Trump. Last year, Sweden suspended plans to send these domestically-made fighter jets to Ukraine in response to requests from partner countries to prioritize the US-made F-16 aircraft.