“Initiative-2025”: Czech Republic to continue purchasing shells for Ukraine

The Czech Republic is initiating a second project to procure artillery ammunition for Ukraine for the year 2025, according to the country’s Defense Ministry. Five Czech arms manufacturers are set to join the initiative, according to industry sources, reports Deník N.

“This is a natural continuation of the existing mechanism. Moreover, the sooner donors allocate funds, the sooner our companies will sign long-term contracts,” said Czech Defense Minister Jana Černochová.

The project’s working title is “Initiative-2025.” The Czech Ministry of Defense’s Agency for Intergovernmental Defense Cooperation is gathering information on what exactly the arms companies can supply to Ukraine next year.

As before, Prague will act as an intermediary between donors – European countries and companies. Key participants in the project will primarily be European states, including Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany, among others, said Tomáš Kopečný, the Governmental Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine. Negotiations on financial support may begin by the end of summer.

In February 2024, during the Munich Security Conference, Czech President Petr Pavel announced Prague’s initiative to procure shells for Ukraine. Initially, the plan was to gather 800,000 ammunition rounds, but Czech plans have since grown to between one and one-and-a-half million rounds.

Weapons were sourced from around the world – from European Union countries and beyond. Overall, the project involved 15 countries. In June, the first shipments – hundreds of thousands of shells – arrived in Ukraine. By the end of this year, Prague is expected to deliver approximately 500,000 large-caliber ammunition rounds to Ukraine, Kopečný said.