TK-Domashniy Tekstil, part of the Textile-Contact (TK Group) group of companies, significantly increased its exports in December, in particular, it began working with customers from Sweden for the first time, according to the group’s owner, Alexander Sokolovsky.
“December is just beginning, but it has already become a record month for TK-Domashniy Tekstil’s exports: since the beginning of the month, we have shipped seven trucks of our own products to Europe! We have started working with customers from Sweden for the first time, with whom we have contracted our own digitally printed fabrics,” he wrote on Facebook.
It is specified that the designs were provided by the customer, and the Chernihiv Textile Combine (TK-DT Chernihiv) was fully responsible for the manufacture of fabrics and digital printing.
Products were also shipped to a new customer in Romania.
According to Sokolovsky, two trucks went to a new partner in the Baltics with a custom order for mattresses filled with 70% Ukrainian flax.
“The covers for these mattresses were sewn from natural cotton fabric (half-panels), which is also manufactured at our textile production facility,” added the owner of TK Group.
This month, the company made two large shipments to Lithuania—to the DEPO supermarket chain, where two trucks of finished home textile products were delivered, and the next batch is already being prepared.
“In addition, we made another shipment to our regular customer in Georgia, the Domino supermarket chain. This time, it was an expanded range of home textiles under our HomeLine brand with pre-New Year designs,” said Sokolovsky.
At the same time, he noted that currently, TC and many light industry enterprises are facing a problem where even regular customers have been afraid to place orders in Ukraine for the past two years.
“Although it is us who are taking the risk here, not them. Interestingly, this was not the case at the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022-2023. On the contrary, many Europeans tried to help Ukrainian entrepreneurs and, even understanding our capabilities, increased their orders despite logistical and other risks. Now, for some reason, it is much more difficult to break through, but we are doing everything possible and impossible,” Sokolovsky emphasized.
TK-Domashniy Tekstil is a leader in the production of fabrics, home textiles, and children’s products in Ukraine. Its asset portfolio includes one of the few finishing factories in Ukraine that produces cotton fabrics in Chernihiv, TK-DT Chernihiv. Its assets also include garment factories in Kyiv, Ternopil, Chernihiv, and Odesa; a shoe factory in Chyhyryn; a knitting factory; and a synthetic winterizer factory in Chernihiv.
The company’s products are imported to Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Georgia, and France.
TK Group was founded in 1995. It is currently a holding company that brings together the entire spectrum of textile industry services, from raw materials and threads to ready-made solutions for B2B, B2G, and B2C customers.
The group consists of 13 factories and employs about 1,500 people.
Since the start of the full-scale war, the group has invested about $14.5 million in development.
The founder of the group is Sokolovsky, chairman of the Light Industry Defense Procurement Committee at the Federation of Employers of Ukraine and a member of the Manifest 42 public movement.
The Swedish government plans to significantly increase aid to Ukraine, to at least SEK 10 billion in 2026, and in this regard is gradually phasing out development aid to five countries: Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, Liberia, and Bolivia.
According to the Swedish government’s official website, in June 2025, the government decided to redirect Swedish aid and allocated approximately SEK 1.7 billion from the aid budget to provide additional support to Ukraine and for vital humanitarian measures around the world.
“We are at a decisive moment in European history. Ukraine is under pressure both at the negotiating table and on the front lines. To increase support for Ukraine, we need to make difficult priorities. Therefore, Sweden is gradually phasing out development aid to Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, Liberia, and Bolivia,” said Minister for Aid and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dusa.
Due to the termination of bilateral strategies, embassies in Bolivia, Liberia, and Zimbabwe are being closed. Diplomatic relations with these countries remain important and will be maintained, for example, through accreditation from another country in the region.
It is specified that humanitarian aid is not affected by the termination of development aid, and Sweden continues to be one of the world’s largest donors of humanitarian aid and long-term development cooperation worldwide.
Ukraine may purchase up to 150 Gripen fighter jets from Sweden, paying for them with frozen Russian assets, according to The Guardian newspaper.
“Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that the purchase could be financed by frozen Russian assets held in Western countries, as well as by allied states from the ‘Coalition of the Willing,’” the publication wrote on Thursday.
It is noted that Ukraine already has American-made F-16 fighter jets and French-made Mirage 2000 fighter jets. Gripen has long been considered more practical for Ukrainian combat conditions — for example, it is designed to take off and land on civilian roads as well as runways so that it can conduct combat operations from dispersed locations, not just airfields.
Justin Bronk, an air warfare expert at the Royal United Services Institute in London, said that the Gripen E “hypothetically be a much more powerful medium-weight fighter” than Ukraine’s existing fleet, thanks to its radar, internal electronic warfare systems, and ability to carry and launch long-range Meteor air-to-air missiles.
Sweden has reportedly ordered 60 of the latest Gripen E aircraft, and Saab is expanding capacity at its factory in Linköping, aiming to produce 20 to 30 aircraft per year, as well as building them in Brazil.
“We fully understand that there is a long way to go… But starting today, we are committed to exploring all possibilities to provide Ukraine with a large number of Gripen fighters in the future,” the publication quotes the Swedish prime minister as saying.
A survey conducted by Active Group in collaboration with Experts Club in August 2025 revealed an exceptionally high level of positive sentiment among Ukrainians toward Sweden.
According to the results, 76.3% of respondents expressed favor toward this country: 41.3% rated it mostly positively, and another 35% rated it completely positively. A neutral position was taken by 21.3% of respondents, while negative assessments were minimal — only 2.3%.
“Ukrainians see Sweden as an example of stable democracy, a socially oriented state, and one of the most consistent allies in supporting Ukraine. This explains why this country is among the leaders in terms of positive perception,” emphasized Alexander Pozniy, head of Active Group.
At the same time, Maxim Urakin, co-founder of Experts Club, drew attention to the economic aspect.
“Despite the extremely high level of sympathy, trade between Ukraine and Sweden remains rather modest. At the end of the first half of 2025, bilateral trade amounted to only $418 million. Exports from Ukraine amounted to about $41 million, while imports of Swedish goods exceeded $376 million. This resulted in a significant negative balance of over $336 million. This means that Ukraine has the potential to intensify cooperation, especially in the fields of mechanical engineering and woodworking, where Sweden is one of the world leaders,” he stressed.
Thus, Sweden combines a high level of public support with new economic opportunities for Ukraine.
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ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SWEDEN, TRADE, UKRAINE, URAKIN
On June 16, renowned Ukrainian pianist Natalia Pasichnyk received the prestigious Cultural Award from the Friends of the Arts Association, a cultural foundation affiliated with one of Sweden’s most famous museums, the Prince Eugen’s Waldemarsdösa Museum. The award was presented during a ceremony in Stockholm by Her Majesty Queen Silvia, according to the Swedish Royal Court website.
Hans Dillen, chairman of the organization, said: “Natalia Pasichnyk is a renowned pianist with a distinguished international career. But she also uses her talent to tell the story of Ukraine and spread Ukrainian culture – which is more important today than ever before. She builds cultural bridges between Sweden and Ukraine and is one of those rare figures whose artistic work becomes a channel for deeper understanding between peoples.”
Lars Edelholm
The Cultural Award, presented by the Renässans Society for the Humanities, is awarded annually by the Association of Friends of Artists to individuals who have made a significant contribution to cultural life in Sweden. The award ceremony is traditionally attended by members of the royal family.
“I am grateful for this recognition and attention to the promotion of Ukrainian culture—and Ukrainian music in particular—in Sweden. Today is not a time for celebration, but it is time to remind everyone once again of Ukraine’s need to be heard, to have the support of the world, and to talk about the existence of a distinct, deep, rich, and integrated Ukrainian culture within the European context,” emphasized Natalia Pasichnyk.
Fredrik Jönsson
The pianist has lived in Sweden for over 30 years and is one of the key figures in Ukrainian cultural representation in Europe. She is the founder and artistic director of the Ukrainian Institute in Sweden, as well as the artistic director of the large-scale European festival “Ukrainian Spring,” which takes place every year at the Royal Philharmonic Hall in Stockholm.
The Association of Friends of Artists was founded in 1937. Its long-time chairman was Prince Eugen, a member of the ruling Bernadotte dynasty and the fourth son of King Oscar II of Sweden. He was a renowned artist, collector, and patron of the arts. The association’s goal is to support and encourage people working in the humanities and arts in Sweden, especially through an annual cultural award. The Waldemarstad Museum (translated from Swedish as “Waldemar’s Cape”) is now in the prince’s old villa.
Sweden is allocating 4.8 billion Swedish kronor to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities. This support is part of the 19th aid package presented this year.
According to the Swedish Ministry of Defense, on May 22, the government decided to instruct the Swedish Armed Forces to make financial contributions to multilateral funds and initiatives aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities. The total amount of donations is approximately 4.8 billion Swedish kronor. The international community has established a number of multilateral funds and initiatives aimed at purchasing materials and equipment to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities. Sweden is contributing to several of them.
“These payments will make the Ukrainian Armed Forces and defense industry stronger in their defense against Russia,” said Defense Minister Paul Jonson.
In particular, these are contributions to several capability coalitions within the Contact Group on Defense for Ukraine:
Demining Coalition: SEK 100 million. Sweden’s assistance will help finance the purchase of demining equipment.
Drone Coalition: SEK 300 million. Sweden will help finance the purchase of various types of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Maritime Security Coalition: SEK 50 million. Sweden’s contribution will help finance the training of Ukrainian Navy personnel as part of Operation Interchange.
Security and IT Management Coalition: SEK 30 million. Sweden’s contribution will help finance the purchase of equipment for the creation of Ukraine’s Delta management system.
Sweden has also agreed to further contribute to the “Danish model” of arms procurement. The government has now decided to allocate an additional SEK 1 billion.
In addition, the government has decided to allocate SEK 418 million for the purchase of equipment to support the build-up of Ukraine’s ground combat capabilities, such as armored vehicles. Denmark is leading the procurement. Ukraine has asked the countries of Northern and Baltic Europe for support in developing the country’s mechanized ground combat capabilities. Sweden has therefore initiated cooperation with the countries of Northern and Baltic Europe for this purpose. Thanks to cooperation between the countries of Northern and Baltic Europe, there are opportunities to develop joint solutions and coordinate support from different countries in order to achieve a greater effect for Ukraine.
As a supplement to Sweden’s national procurement of ammunition for Ukraine, the government has decided to support two multilateral initiatives for the procurement of ammunition. The Czech Republic has taken the initiative to procure large quantities of ammunition with short delivery times on the global market. This includes artillery ammunition, which Ukraine is in great need of. Sweden has previously contributed to this initiative, and the government has now decided to allocate an additional SEK 550 million.
Estonia has taken a similar initiative, which also aims to co-finance the purchase of ammunition. The government has decided to allocate just over SEK 546 million to the Estonian initiative.
It is noted that Sweden’s contribution in the field of ammunition is an important part of achieving the EU’s goal of providing Ukraine with at least 2 million artillery shells by 2025.
The government is also allocating more than SEK 1 billion for the purchase of both air defense systems and long-range drones to combat targets deep in the battlefield as part of multilateral cooperation.
