Czech Republic continues initiative for ammunition for Ukraine: who will now pay.

According to ТСН: The Czech Republic will continue the initiative to provide large-caliber ammunition for Ukraine. Prague will remain the coordinator of the project, which was launched at the beginning of 2024, but does not plan to fund the shells from its own budget.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš stated:

“I still have negotiations with the National Security Council ahead of me, where I will learn more details about the ammunition initiative. After all the negotiations I have already held, I, in agreement with the coalition partners, have decided that we will not terminate the ammunition initiative.”

Babiš clarified that the Czech Republic will act as the project coordinator. He also noted that the initiative will continue to exist, although funding will not come from the Czech budget. Other countries are to take on the costs.

“We have the know-how, our companies have the know-how. Of course, this must be transparent and corruption-free.”

Previously, Babiš refused to guarantee loans to Ukraine, stating that although the Czech Republic supports Ukraine, it is no longer willing to provide financial guarantees and allocate funds due to the difficult economic situation in the country.

It should be noted that recently Babiš became the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic when President Petr Pavel officially appointed him to this position.

This situation reflects the growing difficulties faced by the Czech Republic in funding military assistance to Ukraine. Despite support, the emphasis on economic constraints indicates that the country is trying to cautiously balance between international commitments and domestic needs. The situation in Ukraine remains critical, and support from partners is a crucial factor for the stability of the region.