"Our partners on the other side of the world understand that Europe's security affects the security of the whole world, which is why I'm sorry that our Slovak colleagues don't share this perspective," Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said.
Arms company Czechoslovak Group (CSG) plans to invest "hundreds of millions of euros" in Ukraine to boost its supply of ammunition and equipment, according to Bloomberg and Reuters on March 7.
Ukraine’s allies have nearly raised the required funding to buy 800,000 artillery shells through a Czech-led allied initiative, Bloomberg reported on March 6, citing a government official familiar with the matter.
Czech President Petr Pavel said that he is in favor of looking for new ways to support Ukraine, including potentially sending troops for "non-combat engagement," Czech media reported on March 5.
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Prague on March 5 to meet Czech President Petr Pavel and Prime Minister Petr Fiala and discuss plans to purchase ammunition for Ukraine outside of Europe, among other topics, Czech Television reported.
Lithuania will contribute to the Czech-led allied initiative to supply Ukraine with hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds from outside of Europe, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte confirmed on March 4 after a phone call with her Czech counterpart, Petr Fiala.
As Kyiv faces critical ammunition shortages due to U.S. assistance being stalled in Congress, Czech President Petr Pavel said last month at the Munich Conference that Prague had identified 500,000 155 mm shells and 300,000 122 mm shells outside Europe.
Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakusan traveled to Lviv to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Ihor Klymenko and sign a declaration on directions of cooperation between their departments, Klymenko said on March 1.
"It's not a topic because this idea is unacceptable for the vast majority of countries. No one in Europe is going to send troops to Ukraine," the Czech prime minister noted.
Belgium will allocate 200 million euros ($216 million) to the Czech-led initiative to purchase artillery shells for Ukraine from outside the EU, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on Feb. 28.
The Dutch Defense Ministry ordered nine DITA howitzers from Czech manufacturers for Ukraine, its press service reported on Feb. 27.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, as well as leaders of Germany, the U.K., and other European NATO member states, have reportedly said they are not considering deploying their troops to Ukraine after French President Emmanuel Macron suggested the possibility of Western military presence in the country.
"We have identified at this point half a million rounds of 155 mm caliber and another 300,000 rounds of 122 mm caliber, which we will be able to deliver within weeks if we quickly find funding for that activity," Czech President Petr Pavel said at the Munich Security Conference.
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