The Czech Republic plans to extend its heavy ammunition supply program for Ukraine until 2026 as Europe rushes to increase support for Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said in an interview with Bloomberg.
He said these supplies played a key role on the battlefield, significantly improving the position of Ukrainian troops. He added that the ratio of artillery ammunition use between Ukraine and Russia is currently about 1:2, which is much better than at the beginning of the war, when the ratio was 1:10.
Lipavsky said the program, which is funded by 11 countries, would deliver 1.8 million rounds of ammunition by 2025. However, its further implementation would depend on the results of the Czech parliamentary elections scheduled for October. Lipavsky stressed that political support for the initiative is critical for Ukraine.
The "Czech Initiative" for the supply of heavy ammunition to Ukraine began in February 2024 and was launched by Czech President Petr Pavel. The goal is the prompt supply of artillery shells to Ukraine, mainly of 155 mm and 122 mm caliber, from third countries outside the EU. The initiative has received support from more than 18 states, including the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, France, Poland and others.
In early 2025, Petr Pavel stated that the "Czech Initiative" made it possible to supply Ukraine with at least 1.6 million shells.
Despite this, this initiative has also been criticized. The criticism was allegedly related to the low quality of artillery shells, delays in delivery, and "Czechocentricity."