A senior NATO military official has expressed cautious optimism that the Czech Republic will continue its flagship initiative to source large-calibre artillery ammunition for Ukraine, despite uncertainty following a recent change of government in Prague.
Speaking to Reuters at NATO’s headquarters in Wiesbaden, Major General Maik Keller, deputy commander of NATO’s Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) mission, said there were encouraging signs that the project could move forward.
“I have no final confirmation that the initiative continues, but there are some positive signals coming from Prague,” Keller said.
The Czech-led scheme, launched to secure artillery shells for Ukraine from global suppliers, has become one of Kyiv’s most important sources of ammunition as it faces sustained pressure from Russian forces.
Political Uncertainty in Prague
Before taking office, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis pledged to reduce military aid to Ukraine funded directly from the Czech national budget and suggested his government might end the ammunition initiative. He has criticised the programme as lacking transparency and being overpriced, though he has yet to announce a definitive decision on its future.
The initiative, however, enjoys strong backing from the Czech president and from NATO allies, many of whom provide the bulk of its funding.
Keller noted that even if Prague scales back its own financial contribution, the scheme could continue largely unchanged.
“There might be no more Czech funding for the initiative, which there was to a limited extent in the past,” he said. “But the vast majority of the funding is coming from other partners.”
Major Contribution to Ukraine’s War Effort
NSATU, which has coordinated international military assistance to Ukraine for about a year, regards the Czech programme as critical to Kyiv’s battlefield resilience.
According to Keller, the initiative is expected to deliver around 1.8 million rounds of artillery ammunition this year, accounting for 43% of all ammunition supplied to Ukraine and roughly 70% of legacy Soviet-calibre shells used by Ukrainian forces.
“That’s quite a significant and important initiative,” Keller said. “And that’s why we are so keen on continuing it.”
Strategic Importance
Ukraine has repeatedly warned that ammunition shortages threaten its ability to hold front-line positions, particularly as Russia ramps up production and imports of artillery shells. NATO officials say the Czech-led effort has helped plug a critical gap at a time when Western defence industries are still expanding output.
While Prague’s final decision remains pending, NATO officials believe international backing could allow the initiative to survive political changes within the Czech Republic.
Source: Reuters
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