United to win: Slovaks raise almost €4 mln for shells for Ukraine despite government’s position

To join the Czech initiative on the purchase of ammunition for Ukraine, the citizens of Slovakia, dissatisfied with the fact that the government of Robert Fico does not support Ukraine with weapons, have already raised almost €4 million.

Rubryka writes about this, referring to the fundraising initiative website.

What is the problem?

Slovakia and Hungary declared that they would not join the Czech Republic's initiative to purchase shells for Ukraine.

According to the head of the Slovak Foreign Ministry, Juraj Blanar, "this conflict (Russia's aggression against Ukraine — ed.) has no military solution."

"The government of the Czech Republic recently launched a global initiative to purchase the necessary ammunition for Ukraine. More than twenty countries have already joined it. Unfortunately, Slovakia is still not among them. The government of the Slovak Republic and Prime Minister Fico refused to join the initiative," the message said.

What is the solution?

That is why activists from Slovakia launched a fundraiser to join the Czech initiative.

"It would be a shame if it remained like this. We refuse to accept a denial to help a neighbor affected by the war," reads the initiative's description, "Ammunition for Ukraine—if not the government, we are sending it!"

How does it work?

Such an action was launched by Slovak non-governmental organizations:

• Mier of Ukraine,
• Darček pre Putina,
• Donio and All4Ukraine.

In 12 days, Slovak activists managed to collect €3,873,032.

More than 60,000 donors provided funds.

At the same time, the collection's description says that the first goal is €250,000, with the further hope of gradually reaching €1 million.

"Let us prove that Slovakia is not cowardly and stands on the right side of history. We will help Ukraine despite our pro-Russian government," the organizers emphasize.

According to Zuzana Izsáková, the campaign's co-organizer, the fundraiser will be open-ended. The funds received will go to the Czech program to purchase ammunition, the first deliveries of which are expected in Ukraine in June.

In the video that launched the campaign, one of its initiators, 99-year-old journalist Otto Šimko, said that Russia needs to be kicked out of Ukraine so that "we can talk about peace on terms that correspond to Ukrainian independence."

"When I heard about the initiative of the Czech government, I was very happy to hear that all ways are being sought to help Ukraine protect itself from the (Russian — ed.) aggressor because there is no other way," explains Šimko.

Also, fundraisers emphasize that the campaign aims to show that the majority does not agree with the government's foreign policy change after the September elections.

What is known about the initiative of the Czech Republic to find ammunition for Ukraine

At the Munich Security Conference on February 17, Czech President Petr Pavel said his country had identified 500,000 155mm and 300,000 122mm rounds that could be delivered within weeks if the money was available.

In total, 20 countries support the purchase of ammunition for Ukraine outside of Europe.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Jan Lipavsky, said that 1.5 million shells could be supplied within the framework of the initiative for the procurement of artillery ammunition for Ukraine.

It is worth adding that the Czech Republic has already identified more than a million pieces of artillery ammunition in countries outside the European Union, which can be purchased for transfer to Ukraine.

In turn, the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, said that the Czech initiative had gained momentum.