Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced in an article in the Financial Times that allied countries, led by the Czech Republic, have signed contracts for the first 180,000 artillery shells out of a planned total of 300,000, intended for Ukraine. These shells are expected to be delivered to the Ukrainian military forces in the coming months.
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The Czech Republic has signed contracts for the first 180,000 artillery shells. (Picture source: US DoD)
Czech President Petr Pavel had previously stated in February that 500,000 155mm shells and 300,000 122mm shells, located outside of Europe, had been identified for purchase once the necessary funds were allocated. However, this is still far from the 800,000 shells initially announced, and there was even talk of increasing this number to 1.5 million based on the latest information. Indeed, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky mentioned in a Bloomberg interview that the project could eventually supply up to 1.5 million rounds of ammunition. Tomas Pojar, a Czech national security advisor, indicated that the initial deliveries could begin as early as June.
Several countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Canada, Poland, France, and Denmark, have financially contributed to the initiative. Fiala emphasized the urgent need for these supplies, mentioning the critical situation in Ukraine where difficult decisions must be made daily due to ammunition shortages. "These are the lines that will determine the security and future of Europe," Fiala stated, underscoring the severity of the situation.
He also noted that 20 additional countries had promised their support for this initiative, which he described not as a temporary measure, but as an effort to establish a sustainable ammunition supply system. This system aims to significantly influence the dynamics of the fighting in Ukraine.
The Czech initiative has thus finalized its first 180,000 artillery shells destined for Ukraine, the first batch in a series that could potentially reach 1.5 million, and possibly even 2 million shells, given the enthusiasm of some countries. Over time, it will be seen exactly how many shells are sent to the Ukrainian armed forces, but any help will be welcomed given the urgent need for ammunition on the front.
However, a long-term alternative must be considered. A delivery of 2 million shells represents just about a year's worth of ammunition for the Ukrainian armed forces, but if the conflict continues, this one-off will not be sufficient. Developing European defense industries is therefore a necessity if the countries of the old continent wish to support Ukraine over the longer term. Initiatives in this direction have become numerous, such as Eurenco's investment in an explosive powder production facility in Bergerac, which we discussed on Army Recognition on April 11, 2024.
In any case, Ukraine is undoubtedly looking forward to this first delivery of shells, which represents a significant boost, providing 25 days of artillery ammunition at the current usage rate of about 7,000 shells per day in the conflict with Russia.
