Berlin to finance purchase of 180,000 artillery shells in Czech-led ammunition plan for Ukraine
Berlin will support Kyiv with 180,000 rounds of artillery shells as a contribution to a Czech-led plan to buy ammunition for Ukraine, with a price tag of EUR 576 million ($618 million), Reuters reported on Apr. 2, citing the German Defense Ministry.
Germany’s share will account for 40% of the initiative.
On March 29, the Italian media Corriere della Sera reported that Ukraine would receive one million shells — up from 800,000 — as part of the Czech initiative.
According to the report, Ukraine may receive the first batches of ammunition as early as April, instead of June as previously announced by the Czech government.
The ammunition is expected to come from South Korea, Turkey and South Africa.
Read also: Ukraine to receive one million shells, up from 800,000, under $2 billion Czech initiative
On the same day, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that there was still not enough money to buy shells for Kyiv under the initiative.
Czech initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine: what is known
For the first time, Czech President Petr Pavel announced the possibility of purchasing 800.000 sshells of ammunition for Ukraine on Feb. 17.
A representative of the Ukrainian security forces told NV that the shells are planned to be purchased in South Korea and South Africa. The contract is worth about $2 billion.
It became known that the allies had raised the entire amount needed to purchase the shells on March 7.
On March 11, German newspaper Bild reported that Czechia had purchased 800,000 artillery shells from third countries, which could be delivered to Ukraine within a few weeks. According to the newspaper, Czechiz could have purchased the ammunition in South Korea, South Africa and Turkiye.
Read also: Czechia spearheads funding for crucial ammunition aid to Ukraine
Czech Prime Minister's National Security Advisor Tomáš Pojar said on March 12 that the ammunition could arrive in Ukraine in June.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on March 13 that about 800,000 artillery shells purchased for Ukraine under the Czech initiative will start arriving at the front in the near future.
The Wall Street Journal wrote on March 18 that Prague is looking for ammunition for Ukraine around the world, with even Russia’s allies among the suppliers.
Finnish government also decided to allocate $32.4 million to the Czech initiative to purchase ammunition on March 19.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that a large amount of ammunition would be sent to Ukraine in the near future thanks to the Czech initiative on March 22.
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