NATO Allies Plan to Buy 1.5 Million Artillery Shells for Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers operate M777 Howitzers from the US on the battlefield. (Wikimedia Commons/Mil.gov.ua)

JAKARTA - Ukraine has the potential to obtain more than one million artillery shells, as allies plan to buy them on the world market and send them to Kyiv to face a Russian invasion.

It was based on an initiative of the Czech Republic. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies, including Germany and Canada, have pledged funds to the Czech Republic, after failing to produce enough munitions in Europe.

A stockpile of 800,000 shells offered by Czech President Petr Pavel, could increase to 1.5 million once more potential supplies are identified.

Ukrainian troops "need ammunition now" and their allies "cannot wait until European companies are ready," said President Pavel, quoted by The National News, March 21.

"That's why we are trying to get ammunition wherever it is, to get it to Ukraine as quickly as possible, while increasing our own capacity," he explained.

Ukraine says it needs more artillery to counter Russia's larger arsenal and counter an invasion now in its third year.

The shells in the Czech 'shopping basket' included 155mm artillery pieces used by NATO forces and Soviet-era 122mm ammunition.

Germany will meet the cost of around 180,000 rounds of ammunition, with deliveries due to start in the summer, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.

He said Germany would also provide 10,000 rounds of ammunition directly from its own armed forces as part of a new aid package worth 500 million euros (542.5 million US dollars).

Meanwhile, Finland contributed the equivalent of 32.6 million US dollars and Canada 29.4 million US dollars. Canada will also provide night vision equipment and more than 800 drones, Defense Minister Bill Blair said.

"Ukrainian officials have been clear that they need more artillery ammunition in the near future," he said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine welcomed the ammunition push even as it continued to request more equipment, including air defenses and F-16 fighter jets.

Pressure is mounting on Europe to take on more of the burden, as US aid is stalled in Congress.

European allies plan to buy more equipment to send a message to Russia that Western support "will not stop," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at a summit on Ukraine last week.

Previously, the European Union had promised to provide one million artillery shells. However, they admitted that this target would not be achieved within one year as expected.

On the other hand, European Union countries will consider using frozen Russian assets to pay for military aid. Ukraine is also expected to produce more weapons in its own factories.

"In the near future, European companies will be able to provide ammunition in sufficient quantities," said President Pavel.