Throughout 2024, the European Union has delivered 980,000 artillery shells to Ukraine out of the one million initially promised, the European Union's chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, announced on Nov. 11.
Borrell explained the shortfall, citing unexpected production capacity limits.
Despite delays, he anticipates that total EU-supplied ammunition to Ukraine will exceed 1.5 million shells by the end of the year, thanks to both EU bilateral agreements and a Czech-led initiative.
The Czech initiative, launched with support from countries including Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands, aims to supply 800,000 shells, with Czechia already delivering 50,000 as of mid-2024.
Additionally, Ukraine and Czechia have agreed to start producing 155-mm and other large-caliber ammunition within Ukraine by 2025.
Slovak activists also collected over 4 million euros ($4.3 million) for the initiative after the Slovak government refused to participate.
Czechia unveiled its initiative to purchase artillery shells for Ukraine jointly with partners earlier this year amid shell shortages caused mainly by delays in U.S. assistance.
Prague is also preparing to launch a new initiative to purchase artillery ammunition for Ukraine in 2025, Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said in an interview with the Denik N newspaper on July 24.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
