Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Friday (April 17).

Video released by the Ukrainian presidential press service showed King Carl XVI Gustaf and Zelenskiy laying flowers at the graves of soldiers killed in Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The visit marked the Swedish king’s first trip to Ukraine in 14 years.

During a briefing with the King Carl XVI Gustaf, Zelenskiy said Sweden was among the five largest donors supporting Ukraine’s armed forces and civilian population, adding that Stockholm had confirmed 4 billion euros in support for 2026.

Ukraine hopes to begin training its pilots on Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets this year, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday (April 17).

He made the comments during a meeting with Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf in the western city of Lviv.

Kyiv is seeking to bolster its air defences as it battles Russian attacks more than four years after Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

Ukraine and Sweden had signed in 2025 a long-term cooperation agreement over air defences. The cooperation included the possibility of exporting 100-150 new Gripen E fighter jets in what would easily be Sweden's biggest ever aircraft export order.

Ukrainian pilots have been in Sweden to test the Gripen and help smooth over any eventual export of the jets, a rugged and relatively low-cost option compared to aircraft such as the U.S. F-35.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

LVIV, UKRAINE (APRIL 17, 2026) (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE - Access all)

1. GUARDSMEN OF HONOUR CARRYING WREATH

2. GUARDSMEN OF HONOUR AT CEREMONY

3. VARIOUS OF SWEDEN'S KING CARL XVI GUSTAF AND UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY WALKING TOWARDS WREATHS

4. ZELENSKIY HOLDING MINUTE OF SILENCE

5. KING CARL XVI GUSTAF AND ZELENSKIY HOLDING FLOWERS

6. VARIOUS OF KING CARL XVI GUSTAF AND ZELENSKIY PLACING FLOWERS AT GRAVES OF FALLEN UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS

7. FLAGS

8. CEMETERY

9. UKRAINIAN FLAGS

LVIV, UKRAINE (APRIL 17, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. SWEDEN'S KING CARL XVI GUSTAF AND UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY

2. GUSTAF AND ZELENSKIY SHAKING HANDS

3. GUSTAF TALKING TO ZELENSKIY

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

“We are also grateful for the new, robust programme to strengthen the defence of our airspace, which will support our future modern air fleet of Swedish-made Gripen aircraft. And we very much hope - and we will discuss this today with His Majesty - that our men, our pilots, will begin training this year.”

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SWEDEN'S KING CARL XVI GUSTAF, SAYING:

“I am deeply impressed by the courage you have shown, mister president. You are a great leader for Ukraine – a country which is very important for Europe.”

6. POTOCKI PALACE

7. GUSTAF SAYING ‘Thank you’, SHAKING HANDS WITH ZELENSKIY

8. VARIOUS OF ZELENSKIY AND GUSTAF MEETING SWEDISH DELEGATION

9. UKRAINE DEPUTY HEAD OF PRESIDENT’S OFFICE, PAVLO PALISA (FRAME LEFT), NEXT TO OFFICIALS