Czechia may halt ammunition supplies to Ukraine: what is the reason.

Ukraine may lose support from Czechia in supplying ammunition due to the opposition of Andrej Babiš

The initiative led by Prague to procure ammunition for Ukraine is under threat due to the position of the opposition party of Andrej Babiš, who plans to return to power in the upcoming elections this year. This information is reported by the Financial Times.

The ANO party, which is leading in polls ahead of the October elections, announced the cessation of the initiative to supply ammunition in the event that the opposition comes to power.

'We have to stop the current approach,' said the deputy leader of ANO Karel Havlíček, emphasizing that the initiative is run by the Czech government, not NATO.

President of Czechia Petr Pavel, a former NATO commander, announced last year that his government coordinates the procurement of artillery shells for Ukraine from international markets to assist in the fight against the Russian invasion.

According to Czech Deputy Foreign Minister Eduard Huličius, last year 520,000 shells of 155 mm caliber were supplied to Kyiv, and another 300,000 will be delivered next year. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga thanked Prague for 80% of the promised shells for 2024.

Havlíček expressed doubts about the quality and price of the shells: 'We have information from the military sector that the quality is not perfect and that it is just extraordinarily expensive.' He also noted that the debates may become irrelevant if US President Donald Trump achieves a ceasefire with Russia.

The government in Prague warns that Babiš may strengthen ties with pro-Russian leaders like Viktor Orbán in Hungary, Robert Fico in Slovakia, and Herbert Kickl, who is likely to become the next chancellor of Austria.

Huličius compared the threat of the opposition strengthening ties with Russia to a doctor who 'cuts off the oxygen supply to the patient because there is enough air in the atmosphere already.'

It was previously known that Belarusian enterprises are mass-producing ammunition for the RF.