Estonian Defense Minister claims funding shortage threatens Czech-led ammunition initiative for Ukraine

Tallinn, Estonia (Svidomi) — Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur reveals the Czech initiative to supply the Ukrainian armed forces with much-needed artillery ammunition faces a significant financial hurdle, Estonian media outlet ERR reports.

"If we are talking about a million artillery rounds, it's about €3 billion. There are different calibres, slightly cheaper ones. It would be great if we could procure everything. Currently, there is more of a lack of money than of shells," Pevkur said.

The missing funds will be sought in Northern and Central Europe. The timing of the delivery of the shells to the frontline in Ukraine is still unknown. According to Hanno Pevkur, the Ukrainian military may receive some of them in a few months.

"A lot depends on physically checking some of the shells of these potential partners. We were told that they [shells] can be obtained, but in what condition are they, and are they suitable for use at all? All this needs to be checked," Pevkur explained. 

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas expressed concern about the lack of weapons in Ukraine.

"We are patting ourselves on the back, saying, 'Well done, we are doing a good job', and meanwhile Ukraine is saying that ammunition is not reaching them," Kallas said.

Earlier, in an interview with CBS, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about the "ammunition crisis" Ukraine experienced in December 2023. He said that the country had "almost zero" leftover shells. Therefore, Zelenskyy explains, Russia took advantage of this and captured Avdiivka.  The defense forces had nothing to hold the city with.

Domestic production and further assistance from partners helped overcome the crisis.

It will be recalled that the Czech Republic has allocated money for its initiative to purchase artillery shells for Ukraine. The amount to be allocated is not disclosed. 

The purpose of the Czech-led initiative is to obtain the ammunition Ukraine needs, including 152 mm and 155 mm artillery.