In February, the Czech Republic organized a large-scale purchase of ammunition from outside the EU for Ukrainian troops.
Poland has confirmed it will fulfill its pledge to contribute financially to a Czech initiative aimed at procuring ammunition for Ukraine from sources outside the European Union. This statement comes from Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who was responding to reports suggesting that Warsaw was the only country among Ukraine’s supporters that had not yet contributed to the scheme, despite earlier commitments made this year.
According to the Polish newspaper Wyborcza, by August of this year, more than a dozen countries had already provided funding for the purchase of over half a million artillery shells from manufacturers outside the European Union. Germany reportedly contributed the largest share of the funding.
Sikorski acknowledged that Warsaw has yet to make any payments towards the initiative, citing temporary hurdles.
“We have made a political decision to allocate €50 million this year and another €50 million next year. However, there are some technical, administrative, and legal issues related to the state agency for strategic reserves,” the foreign minister explained.
He emphasized that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already fulfilled its part and expressed hope that “colleagues from other ministries will also do everything,” assuring, “It will definitely be done.”
The Czech initiative to acquire shells for Ukraine from around the world was announced in February to address a shortage that arose when Western manufacturers failed to supply artillery rounds at a pace sufficient to meet Ukraine’s battlefield requirements. Reports suggest that Ukraine’s supporters are only able to collectively produce 1.3 million shells annually, while Russia reportedly produces 4.5 million shells at a quarter of the cost of European and American equivalents.
A total of 18 countries, including Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Portugal, have signed up to cover the costs of Prague’s plan. In July, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky revealed that 15 countries had already made contributions, stating that there were enough funds to deliver 500,000 shells to Ukraine by the end of the year. Czech officials have also indicated a potential extension of the initiative into 2025.
Moscow has repeatedly criticized the West’s continued military support for Ukraine, arguing that weapon and ammunition shipments to the country only serve to prolong the fighting and cause more bloodshed without impacting the eventual outcome.