As part of the Czech initiative, Germany will provide 576 million euros, i.e. 14.6 billion crowns in conversion, for the previously promised purchase of artillery ammunition for Ukraine. The information was confirmed by the spokesman of the German Ministry of Defense Dennis Köhler. Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius already announced in mid-March that Berlin would pay for 180,000 artillery shells, but he did not specify the specific financial amount at the time.
At the time, Pistorius also said that the new German arms aid to Ukraine will be worth about 500 million euros, roughly 12.6 billion crowns. Köhler said on Tuesday that the purchase of ammunition organized by the Czech Republic is not included in this package.
ON THE SUBJECT: In Russian Tatarstan, more than 1000 kilometers from Ukraine, drones attacked. Authorities are reporting injuries
“This package worth 500 million euros does not include the Czech plan. The German share in the Czech initiative amounts to 576 million euros,” the spokesman explained, adding that the total value of both support plans exceeds one billion euros.
The amount announced by Germany is the highest so far publicly announced by any of the states involved in the Czech initiative aimed at purchasing ammunition outside the European Union. So far, about twenty countries have joined this project, from Canada to Germany to the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
A big supporter is, for example, the Netherlands, which first announced a contribution of 100 million euros and later increased it to 250 million euros, i.e. about 6.3 billion CZK.
The Czech Republic has the opportunity to purchase at least 800,000 artillery shells for Ukraine in countries outside the EU. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) came up with a proposal to purchase ammunition outside the EU states at an extraordinary EU summit at the beginning of February, and Czech President Petr Pavel subsequently informed about the plan at the Munich Security Conference.
During the Visegrad Group meeting, Poland pledged to join the initiative, both financially and logistically. This was announced by Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. The Czech head of the foreign ministry, Jan Lipavský (Pirates), in connection with the group’s meeting, appreciated that a number of countries had joined the Czech initiative to secure ammunition. He also thanked the northern neighbors directly.
Tags: Germany support Czech initiative purchase ammunition Ukraine billions crowns
