EU country vows to cover costs for Ukraine's ammunition
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has committed to supporting a Czech initiative aimed at purchasing ammunition for Ukraine. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
In February, the Czech Republic spearheaded an initiative to procure ammunition for Ukrainian forces by coordinating a group purchase from suppliers outside the European Union. This move was designed to address the shortfall created by the slow supply rates from Western arms manufacturers.
Poland has confirmed its commitment to support this Czech-led venture financially, according to Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who spoke to the European Truth. Poland's involvement comes despite initial reports that it was the last of Ukraine's supporters to contribute financially, despite earlier promises to do so. The Polish daily Wyborcza highlighted that, as of August, more than a dozen countries had contributed funds for purchasing over half a million artillery shells from non-EU sources, with Germany contributing the most.
"We have made a political decision to allocate €50 million this year and another €50 million next year. But there are some technical, administrative, and legal issues related to the state agency for strategic reserves," Sikorski explained. He also mentioned that Poland's foreign ministry had completed its responsibilities and expressed hope that other ministries would follow through, asserting, "It will definitely be done."
The Czech effort to source international ammunition was established to supplement the insufficient production capabilities within Ukraine's supporting nations. These allies collectively managed to produce only 1.3 million shells yearly, significantly lagging behind Russia's 4.5 million shells, which are manufactured at a fraction of the cost of their European and American counterparts.
Eighteen nations, including Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Portugal, pledged to finance Prague's project. By July, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky noted that 15 countries had already made their financial contributions, securing enough funds to supply Ukraine with 500,000 shells by year-end. Czech authorities are also considering extending the initiative through 2025.
Meanwhile, Moscow has continuously voiced its objections to Western military support for Ukraine, arguing that such aid merely extends the conflict and leads to more casualties, without altering the overall trajectory of the conflict.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
Poland has confirmed its commitment to support this Czech-led venture financially, according to Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who spoke to the European Truth. Poland's involvement comes despite initial reports that it was the last of Ukraine's supporters to contribute financially, despite earlier promises to do so. The Polish daily Wyborcza highlighted that, as of August, more than a dozen countries had contributed funds for purchasing over half a million artillery shells from non-EU sources, with Germany contributing the most.
"We have made a political decision to allocate €50 million this year and another €50 million next year. But there are some technical, administrative, and legal issues related to the state agency for strategic reserves," Sikorski explained. He also mentioned that Poland's foreign ministry had completed its responsibilities and expressed hope that other ministries would follow through, asserting, "It will definitely be done."
The Czech effort to source international ammunition was established to supplement the insufficient production capabilities within Ukraine's supporting nations. These allies collectively managed to produce only 1.3 million shells yearly, significantly lagging behind Russia's 4.5 million shells, which are manufactured at a fraction of the cost of their European and American counterparts.
Eighteen nations, including Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Portugal, pledged to finance Prague's project. By July, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky noted that 15 countries had already made their financial contributions, securing enough funds to supply Ukraine with 500,000 shells by year-end. Czech authorities are also considering extending the initiative through 2025.
Meanwhile, Moscow has continuously voiced its objections to Western military support for Ukraine, arguing that such aid merely extends the conflict and leads to more casualties, without altering the overall trajectory of the conflict.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
