Czechia faces shortage of suitable arms for Ukraine assistance

Defence Minister Jana Černochová disclosed on Czech television that Czechia is grappling with a scarcity of appropriate weaponry for dispatching to Ukraine. This is reported by Euractiv.

This admission followed assurances made in Kyiv by the lower house speaker regarding arms support. During their visit to Kyiv, parliament speakers Markéta Pekarová Adamová and Miloš Vystrčil commemorated the victims of the Soviet-era Ukrainian famine. Meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Parliament Head Ruslan Stefanchuk also took place during the visit. Pekarová Adamová pledged continuous arms supply to Ukraine, emphasizing its significance in defending not just itself but also European democracies.

However, Czechia is encountering a scarcity of suitable resources for aid. Defence Minister Černochová conceded the limitations in available military material for Ukraine and proposed exploring export licenses for private companies, aiming to prevent compromise on the nation’s defense capability. Despite the shortage, Czechia plans to utilize its free production capacities through private firms to assist Ukraine, leveraging partnerships abroad. In addition to armament aid, significant training assistance has been provided with plans to expand training capacities for Ukrainian Armed Forces members under the EU Military Assistance Mission. By the end of 2023, up to 4,000 Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel will have received training and further expansions in training facilities are anticipated in 2024.