Czech President Petr Pavel said on March 7 that after Norway had joined the Czech-led allied initiative on purchasing 800,000 artillery shells for Ukraine, the required funds were collected, Czech outlet CT24 reported.
As $60 billion in aid for Ukraine from the U.S. remains stalled in Congress, the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to face critical ammunition shortages.
Prague launched its military aid initiative in February, as it had found 500,000 155 mm shells and 300,000 122 mm shells outside Europe that could be sent to Ukraine after the necessary funds were allocated to the initiative.
Pavel said 18 countries participated in the Czech-led allied initiative, and "within weeks," Ukraine would get the ammunition.
Norway was the last contributor, allocating 1.6 billion Norwegian kroner ($153 million) to the initiative. Other contributors, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Latvia, and Canada, had publicly committed to the initiative earlier.
The next step for the Czech government will be to conclude a memorandum and establish mutual relations with contributing states, according to Pavel.
"Now everything will depend on our companies’ and the defense ministry's abilities to speed up the whole process (of delivering aid)," Pavel said.
Amid the ammunition shortage, Ukraine has already withdrawn from Avdiivka, a key front-line city in Donetsk Oblast, on Feb. 17 and from other nearby villages weeks later.
Asami Terajima
