Czech Governmenet Approves CZK 400 Million in Military Aid for Ukraine

Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) said that the Czech government will release up to an additional CZK 400 million worth of weapons to Ukraine as it struggles to repulse a Russian invasion.

The request for more weapons was expressed by the Ukrainian President. “Zelenskyj asked me for specific weapons and military equipment. I found out that we can provide,” said Fiala.

Defence Minister Jana Černochová (ODS) said the Czech Republic will donate 30,000 pistols, 7,000 assault rifles, 3,000 machine guns, several dozen rifles for snipers and about a million rounds of ammunition.

On Saturday the Czech Republic sent Ukraine machine guns, submachine guns, sniper rifles, pistols and ammunition worth 188 million crowns.

Mr. Fiala said the democratic world must stand strong and united in the face of this aggression. He said the latest developments in Ukraine showed the importance of investing the required 2 percent of GDP into defense which the Czech Republic was committed to fulfilling by 2025.

The Czech prime minister said isolating Russia would be costly, but Europe must be prepared the price for future European security.

“The blackest scenario is happening. It’s an attack on the whole of Ukraine, that’s scary. It’s a terrible situation,” he said.

Other nations have pledged military materiel to Kyiv as Ukraine’s military fights against an invading Russian force.

The Netherlands will supply 200 Stinger air defense rockets to Ukraine as quickly as possible, the Dutch government said in a letter to parliament on Saturday.

Belgium has pledged 2,000 machine guns and 3,800 tons of fuel.

Germany, which had a long-standing policy of not exporting weapons to war zones, approved the delivery of 400 rocket propelled grenades from the Netherlands to Ukraine, the defense ministry in Berlin said.