Greece is leading negotiations to purchase ammunition from Czechia and transfer the supplies directly to Ukraine, the Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported on March 15, citing unnamed Greek officials.
Ukraine is facing increasingly serious ammunition shortages, namely in artillery shells, as support from the U.S. remains held up by domestic political disputes. European allies have been intensifying efforts to offset the lack of American support.
Athens told EU officials that it could supply Ukraine with extensive ammunition stocks through Czechia this year, including 90,000 90 mm projectiles, 180 70 mm anti-tank projectiles, 2,000 127 mm Zuni rockets, and 4 million bullets, Kathimerini said.
Greece also reportedly plans to sell 70 of its U.S.-made M114A1 howitzers to Czechia for eventual transfer to Ukraine. The systems are not needed for the purposes of the Greek military but could still be useful in Ukraine's muddy terrain, the outlet said.
Greek and Czech officials are now negotiating prices of the equipment, after which they will sign a bilateral agreement, according to Kathimerini.
Greece has provided Ukraine with military assistance in the past, including BMP-1 armored vehicles, small arms, and ammunition. However, Athens has been hesitant to supply more modern or higher-grade weapon systems, such as Leopard 2 tanks or S-300 air defenses, in order to maintain its defense posture against Turkey or because the country cannot currently replace them.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Odesa on March 6 and held a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the country's defense needs. Russian forces attacked the city during Mitsotakis's visit, with a projectile exploding only a few hundred meters from the leaders.
Martin Fornusek
(Updated: )
