Czech-led ammunition programme for Ukraine can continue, PM says

PRAGUE, Jan 6 (Reuters) – The Czech Republic can keep running an initiative sourcing ammunition for Ukraine, but will act as a coordinator and no longer put its own money into ‍it, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on Tuesday.

Babis’ government, in power since December, has been discussing the fate of the ammunition drive after Babis criticised the programme for being non-transparent. He has pledged to scale back aid, saying money was needed at home.

The programme brings together ‌foreign donors, including Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands, ‌with Czech defence officials and arms traders and producers who purchase large-calibre ammunition around the world, delivering it to Ukraine to reduce its disadvantage on the battlefield against Russia.

“The project will continue and the Czech ​Republic will act as coordinator,” Babis said on X after attending a meeting of Ukraine’s allies in Paris. “No money from ‍Czech citizens will be invested in ​the ammunition initiative.”

PRAISE FOR PROGRAMME

A senior NATO military ​official voiced cautious optimism in December that the initiative would continue ‍and said it would deliver 1.8 million rounds of artillery ammunition in 2025 – 43% of the total ammunition supplied to Kyiv.

The Czech state security council is due to debate the programme on Wednesday. It was put in place by the previous centre-right ‍government and President Petr Pavel, a former NATO official, has sought to keep it active.

Babis has criticised the programme’s lack of transparency, while ‍his pro-Russian coalition ‍allies oppose it.

Babis told reporters in Paris the ​programme could continue if others finance it, according ​to ⁠CTK news agency. “Of course, it must be transparent ‌and without corruption,” he said.

Donors have given around $4.8 billion to pay for ammunition supplies under the programme, former Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said in December. The Czech contribution has been up to 3 billion crowns ($145.15 million).

($1 = 20.6680 Czech crowns)

(Reporting by Jason Hovet; editing by Mark Heinrich ⁠and Rod Nickel)