Sweden makes fresh Ukraine military aid pledge as NATO membership nears

The Swedish government today announced a $683 million package of military aid to Ukraine as Kyiv's war-ravaged army battles Russia's attacks along the frontline.

The announcement of extra aid comes as Hungary moves to end its months-long blockade on Sweden joining NATO.

The parliament could schedule a vote to approve Sweden's NATO membership as soon as next Monday, a senior lawmaker from the ruling Fidesz party, Máté Kocsis, wrote in a letter to the speaker of the parliament, according to a post on his Facebook page.

Hungary is the only NATO country that has not signed off on Sweden's bid.

The donations announced today take total Swedish commitments to an equivalent $2.9 billion, Defense Minister Pål Jonson said, with extra cash assigned to a joint program with the Danish government covering CV-90 combat vehicles.

Jonson said that the deliveries would also include artillery ammunition and Carl Gustaf grenade launchers — critical supplies given the Ukrainian military has repeatedly warned that it is running out of large-caliber rounds.

"This support package meets some of Ukraine's most pressing needs and is in line with the military capability coalitions that are taking shape within the Ukraine Defence Contact Group," said Jonson.

Sweden, along with its Nordic neighbors Denmark, Norway and Finland, are among the leaders when it comes to pledging military support to Ukraine according to figures from the Kiel Institute.