Lipavský: Czech artillery initiative further will accelerate after summer

The Czech minister of foreign affairs, Jan Lipavský, says that 100,000 rounds of ammunition will be delivered to Ukraine during July and August under a Czech-led initiative. Mr. Lipavský made the comment on Monday in Brussels, where he was attending a gathering of EU foreign ministers.

The Czech foreign policy chief said that 18 countries had signed up to the initiative to date, with 15 having already followed through on their financial pledges. This means there are sufficient funds to deliver 500,000 pieces of artillery to Ukraine by the end of 2024, he told reporters, adding that the scheme would accelerate further after the summer.

Efforts are already underway to find additional funding to ensure the Czech-led initiative continues next year, Mr. Lipavský said.