- Category
- Latest news
Ending Ukraine Ammo Initiative Would Harm National Interests, Czech President Warns
- Authors
![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Czech President Petr Pavel warned that shutting down the Czech-led ammunition initiative for Ukraine would not only undermine Kyiv’s defense against Russia but also harm the Czechia`s own interests.
His comments came after weekend elections were won by a party that has pledged to end the program, Reuters reported on October 6.
The populist ANO movement, led by billionaire and former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, won 80 out of 200 seats in the lower house and has begun talks to form a ruling coalition.
Before the elections, Babiš said he intended to discontinue the ammunition drive, describing it as “overpriced” and “nontransparent,” and arguing that responsibility for such initiatives should fall to the EU and NATO.
“If we were to reduce or even end this support, we would primarily harm ourselves, but ending this support would also have a negative impact on Ukraine, if many more lost their lives,” Pavel said.
The ammunition program—which coordinates defense officials and arms traders worldwide to secure millions of artillery rounds for Ukraine with funding from Western allies—has been one of the main pillars of support under Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s outgoing government.
Pavel noted that Babiš could be given the opportunity to review the details of how the program operates.
-ae9e64a16c03c02ac8e07a70ffb564bb.jpg)
“I assume that both with Andrej Babis, and with the representatives of the other parties, we will bear in mind above all the interest of the Czech Republic, our allies and partners such as Ukraine, and we will not damage them nor ourselves,” he said.
The Czech government had planned to expand deliveries under the initiative this year, following the shipment of 1.5 million rounds in 2024, including 500,000 shells of 155mm caliber.
Earlier, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof announced that the Netherlands will contribute $59 million to the World Bank’s trust fund to aid Ukraine’s recovery.
