Sweden open to sending Leopards to Ukraine, defense minister tells TT news

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden is open to sending some of its Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine as the Nordic country prepares to present another package of aid to help the country fight off the Russian invasion, its defence minister told local news agency TT.

Sweden has delivered a string of military and civilian aid packages to Ukraine since the invasion, which Moscow calls a special military operation, began a year ago.

The latest instalment includes armoured infantry fighting vehicles, which Defence Minister Pal Jonson told the news agency would be the country's main contribution to Ukraine in terms of equipment for ground warfare.

Sweden is also preparing to send Ukraine the advanced Archer artillery system to Ukraine, but support in the Swedish parliament has been growing to additionally contribute some of the country's around 120 Leopard tanks.

"We are open to that and we are in close dialogue with above all Germany about it," Jonson was quoted by TT as saying.

(Reporting by Niklas Pollard, editing by Anna Ringstrom)