Germany announced it will contribute an additional 300 million euros to the Czech-led initiative delivering artillery ammunition to Ukraine. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius made the announcement during a meeting with his Czech counterpart Jaromir Zuna in Berlin.
Pistorius stated that this additional contribution corresponds to approximately 50,000 long-range ammunition rounds. The announcement came during Zuna’s first official visit to Berlin.
Ukraine Support Highlighted in Meeting
Support for Ukraine was a key topic during the talks between the two ministers. They also discussed defense cooperation, the situation in the Middle East, and preparations for the NATO summit scheduled to take place in Ankara in 2026.
The ammunition initiative led by the Czech Republic was launched at the beginning of 2024, during a period when the Ukrainian army faced severe ammunition shortages. The initiative has become a critical source of artillery ammunition for Kyiv and has been noted for helping balance shipments during a challenging phase of the war.
Over 3 Million Deliveries and Declining Participation
According to data from the Czech Ministry of Defense, more than 3 million artillery shells have been delivered under the initiative to date. Of these, 1.5 million were delivered in 2024 and 1.8 million in 2025.
The Czech Republic also holds contracts to procure approximately 1 million additional rounds for 2026. However, the number of countries participating in the initiative has been decreasing.
Czech President Petr Pavel stated last month that the number of participating countries dropped from 18 to 9 since Prime Minister Andrej Babis took office in December 2025. Germany’s new contribution is one of the most concrete supports given to the initiative during this period of decline.
