Sweden will provide two surveillance aircraft, missiles and armored personnel carriers to Ukraine as part of its latest military aid package. France\u2019s Macron says Ukraine should be able to use western weapons to strike inside Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Swedish government announced on Wednesday its 16th<\/sup> military aid package to Ukraine worth 13.3 billion kronor (around USD 1.23 billion), the largest package of assistance Sweden has so far donated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The package will provide Ukraine with a new capability to strengthen its air defense and \u201cwill meet Ukraine\u2019s prioritized needs,\u201d the statement reads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The support package will include Airborne Surveillance and Control aircraft (ASC 890), which will provide Ukraine with a \u201ccompletely new capability against both airborne and maritime targets.\u201d Ukraine\u2019s capability to identify and engage targets at long range will be strengthened. The package will also include a holistic solution that involves training, technical equipment and methodological support for air surveillance and command and control, the Swedish government said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sweden will also donate its entire stock of armored tracked personnel carriers (PBV 302) to support newly formed Ukrainian brigades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The support package will also include the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (RB 99-AMRAAM), which can be used on aircraft and in ground-based air defense systems, artillery rounds and maintenance of previously donated Swedish materiel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the Swedish government, the 16th military support package will also contain surplus fuel transport vehicles from the Swedish Armed Forces; financial support to capability coalitions; financial support to funds and temporary initiatives to enable swift and large-scale procurement of materiel to Ukraine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ukraine\u2019s command and control capability will be further strengthened in the package through a donation of terminals with subscriptions for satellite communications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Swedish Defense Minister P\u00e5l Jonsson earlier said that the country is pausing plans to send Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, saying the focus on the Ukrainian side is on implementing a F-16 fighter jet program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In August 2023, when President Zelenskyi visited the country, Ukraine began discussing with Sweden the possibility of receiving Gripen jets. According to media reports published in autumn 2023, the Swedish government was preparing to donate Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine. Later Swedish officials said the country should prepare to send Gripens to Ukraine once it has completed its accession to NATO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that Ukraine should be allowed to use French weapons against targets inside Russia from which Moscow attacks Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking at a news conference alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Germany, Macron said that France\u2019s position is that \u201cwe think we must allow (Ukraine) to neutralize the (Russian) military sites from which the missiles are fired.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the news conference, Macron showed a printout of Ukraine\u2019s map highlighting Kharkiv\u2019s proximity to the border and Russia\u2019s cross-border attacks into the region. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Germany\u2019s Scholz echoed Macron\u2019s comments and said that Ukraine was allowed to defend itself as long as it respected the conditions given by the countries that supplied the weapons and international law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Macron added, however, that \u201cwe must not allow them to hit other targets in Russia,\u201d including civilian or other military targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMacron says Ukraine should be able to use western weapons to strike inside Russia<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Latin America in the focus of Russian propaganda. Ukraine in Flames #617<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n