This collaboration aims to address urgent needs for artillery ammunition and is part of a broader effort that includes Denmark, the Netherlands, and Canada, seeking equipment and ammunition globally for Ukraine.
The announcement was made in the context of the international security conference in Munich, where Czech President Petr Pavel highlighted the successful identification of 800,000 artillery shells necessary for Ukraine. Financial assistance from partner countries is essential for facilitating the transfer of these munitions to Ukraine.
Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair confirmed the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Czech Republic regarding ammunition procurement. However, specific details of the agreement remain under discussion. Concerns have been raised about Canada's investment in munitions through the Czech Republic potentially occurring without parallel efforts to enhance Canada's own ammunition production capabilities.
Presently, Canada has not finalized agreements with domestic artillery shell manufacturers to boost production due to the requirement for modernization, which is estimated to take at least three years and necessitate around 300 million US dollars in government funding. Officials argue that the long-term global demand for artillery shells may not justify such investment.
