Canada commits to financing ammunition shipments to Ukraine.

Canada is ready to join an international effort, led by the Czech Republic, to finance the shipment of large quantities of ammunition to Ukraine. The commitment includes a proposed contribution of 30 million Canadian dollars (approximately 23 million US dollars) to support the urgent delivery of artillery shells to Ukraine.
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155 mm shells are extremely useful in Ukraine. (Picture source: Canadian DND)

This initiative was introduced at the Munich Security Conference, where Czech President Petr Pavel outlined a plan to gather up to 800,000 shells of various calibers, including those conforming to NATO standards and those from non-NATO countries, requiring financial support for transportation to Ukraine.

Defence Minister Bill Blair mentioned that Canada is in discussions with the Czech Republic and has signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the potential acquisition of munitions, aiming to make them available more rapidly to Ukraine while increasing its production capabilities. This move is part of Canada's ongoing efforts to strengthen Ukraine's military resources, including the donation of hundreds of drones to support the war effort.

Canada's allies have raised concerns about the country's possible focus on external munitions production through the Czech Republic, potentially at the expense of developing its domestic manufacturing capacity. Despite these concerns, Blair hinted at future announcements regarding investments in Canadian munitions production.

The urgency of increasing munitions manufacturing has been underscored by the acknowledgment of a munitions shortage as a factor in the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the strategic city of Avdiivka, as stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This shortage has been exacerbated by delays in international aid, particularly highlighted by the current deadlock in the U.S. Congress over a significant military and economic aid package for Ukraine.

The Czech initiative, aimed at securing munitions from countries outside of NATO, has sparked closed-door discussions among EU defense ministers and involves proposals for significant procurement to meet Ukraine's needs. This plan reflects broader concerns over the pace of munitions production among NATO allies and underscores the critical nature of continued support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.