Foreign donors have contributed around 93.3 billion crowns ($4.5 billion) to a Czech-led initiative aimed at sourcing and supplying large-calibre ammunition to Ukraine, Czech Defence Minister Jana Cernochova announced on Wednesday. The Czech Republic itself has added 1.7 billion crowns to the project.
According to officials, the initiative has significantly boosted ammunition supplies in 2024 and 2025, helping to reduce Ukraine’s disadvantage on the frontline against Russia. However, questions remain over the future of the program as a new Czech government prepares to take office.
Prime Minister Petr Fiala said the Czech Republic has coordinated the delivery of 3.7 million artillery shells to Ukraine, with 1.3 million supplied so far this year. He noted that funding has come from the donor initiative, returns from frozen Russian assets, bilateral partnerships, and Ukraine’s own purchases. By the end of the year, total deliveries are expected to reach 1.8 million rounds.
The programme connects Czech arms manufacturers and traders with international donors and suppliers, many of whom prefer to remain anonymous.
Opposition leader Andrej Babis, whose ANO party won the October 3–4 elections, has criticised the initiative, calling it non-transparent and overpriced. He also claimed that arms dealers have benefited excessively, though the outgoing government insists the project is fully transparent to donors.
Babis has also pledged to halt any Czech-funded military support to Ukraine, but his position on the ammunition programme remains uncertain following the elections.
Government figures show that the Czech Republic’s total military assistance to Ukraine has reached 17.4 billion crowns. This includes the donation of 390 pieces of older military equipment such as tanks and helicopters, contributions to international support funds, and participation in the ammunition programme.
In exchange, the Czech Republic has received compensation worth about 25 billion crowns through allied support schemes, including U.S. helicopters and German Leopard 2A4 tanks.
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