Borrell tells when Ukraine may receive first shells under Czech initiative

Josep Borrell, the EU top diplomat, said this following a meeting with the ministers of foreign affairs and defense of the member states, reports European Pravda. 

He emphasized that many countries have joined the Czech initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine, and the first deliveries of shells may be in late May or early June.

"And many countries have expressed their readiness to participate in the German initiative (to find air defense systems - ed.) to coordinate and promote efforts to strengthen Ukraine's air defense," Borrell said.

According to him, many countries have expressed their readiness to contribute to the two initiatives.

"These tasks - more air defense and more 155 mm rounds - remain our priority," Borrell emphasized.

Czech initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine: what is known

On February 17, it became known that the Czech Republic had found sources abroad for hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds that it could deliver to Ukraine in a matter of weeks.

The Netherlands publicly announced their participation by allocating 100 million euros for the purchase of ammunition. France will also join the initiative to procure ammunition for Ukraine outside the EU. Additionally, Germany and Norway have expressed support for the initiative.

On February 22, media reported that Canada was ready to allocate up to $22 million for shells for Ukraine. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Kroo also announced that the country would finance the Czech initiative with €200 million.

On March 2, the Czech Republic announced that they would be able to make the first deliveries of ammunition to Kyiv within a few weeks.

Later, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė stated that her country would support the Czech Republic's multilateral initiative to purchase and transfer artillery ammunition to Ukraine.

On March 8, Czech President Petr Pavel announced the completion of fundraising for the purchase of ammunition for Ukraine. The government clarified that it was only the first batch of 300,000 shells.

On March 12, the Czech Republic announced the possibility of purchasing another 200,000 artillery shells for Ukraine in addition to the 300,000 already financed.

The Czech government said that artillery shells, which will be purchased at the initiative of Prague, are likely to start arriving in Ukraine in June.

Germany will provide Ukraine with 180,000 artillery rounds as part of the Czech-led ammunition purchase plan.