United to win: Ukraine may receive 1.5 mln shells to boost military arsenal within Czech initiative
Photo: Rheinmetall
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Jan Lipavsky, stated that within the initiative's scope to procure artillery ammunition for Ukraine, it is possible to supply 1.5 million shells.
The diplomat said this during an interview in Prague, Bloomberg reports.
Lipavsky noted that the Czech proposal, which provides for purchasing 800,000 munitions outside the EU, bears fruit, even if the much-needed deliveries can be made in a few weeks.
"We can do much more than the initially announced amount [800,000 shells for Ukraine — ed.]", the minister said, naming the figure of 1.5 million shells as a potential volume.
The diplomat clarified that financing the first ammunition supplies is necessary before their shipment to Ukraine begins.
"As we can see, this already helps Ukraine to fight better because they know that they will have a supply of fresh ammunition, which has changed their view on using current stocks," Lipavsky emphasized.
However, the minister refused to name the terms of the delivery of shells to Ukraine.
For reference:
On February 17, at the Munich Security Conference, Czech President Petr Pavel said that his country had found 500,000 155 mm and 300,000 122 mm rounds that could be delivered within weeks if the money was available.
According to Pavel, the Czech Republic could transfer the projectiles in weeks if funding is obtained from the USA, Germany, Sweden, and others.
It is known that the following joined the initiative of the Czech Republic:
- German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said that Germany would participate in the purchase of 800,000 artillery shells for Ukraine that the Czechia found outside the EU.
- Latvia has decided to join the Czech initiative to purchase artillery ammunition for Ukraine.
- France to join Czechia in purchase of 800,000 shells for Ukraine's defense
- Warsaw joined the initiative of the Czech Republic to purchase hundreds of thousands of artillery shells for Ukraine, but it is not known how much the Polish government allocated.
- Portugal will join the Czech initiative to procure ammunition for Ukraine from third countries.
- Finland plans to back the Czech Republic's initiative to send hundreds of thousands of artillery ammunition to Ukraine by allocating 30 million euros.
- Canada, which will allocate 30 million Canadian dollars (about 23 million US dollars) for the purchase of ammunition for Ukraine outside NATO;
- The Netherlands allocates more than 100 million euros to this initiative;
- Belgium, which will give 200 million euros for the initiative of the Czech Republic;
- Lithuania will join the Czech initiative to purchase and transfer ammunition to Ukraine.
- In total, 15 countries support the procurement of ammunition for Ukraine outside of Europe.
It is worth adding that during the past months, the European Union has significantly increased the production of ammunition and will bring this capacity to 1 million ammunition per year in March of this year and to 2 million in 2025.
Moreover, the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, said that 800,000 artillery shells purchased in third countries of the world could be delivered to Ukraine within a few weeks.
Iceland has announced that it will financially support the Czech Republic's initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine and equipment for female service members of the Ukrainian army. The island country will allocate about two million euros for this.
