Sweden to send up to 10 Leopard tanks to Ukraine

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden will deliver up to 10 Leopard 2 tanks and HAWK anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine as part of an 11th defense support package, the Nordic country's government said on Friday.

"The Swedish tanks reinforce the Leopard 2 contribution that other European countries make. Coordination of support is ongoing with international partners donating Leopard 2 or other tanks," the government said in a statement.

Defence Minister Pal Jonson told a news conference the war in Ukraine was in an intensive phase and Sweden would "do all it can to send this (the military aid) as soon as possible".

(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom and Simon Johnson, editing by Essi Lehto)