Sikorski: Poland to rectify delay in supporting Czech shell initiative for Ukraine
As Poland remains the only country yet to contribute to a Czech initiative for purchasing artillery shells for Ukraine, its FM Sikorski explains the delay, citing a responsible official's arrest, and pledges 100 million euros in support over two years.
Gazeta Wyborcza says Poland has been the only country that has pledged but not yet allocated funds for purchasing artillery shells for Ukraine as part of a Czech initiative. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski acknowledged this delay and promised to rectify the situation soon, Liga reports.
During a press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sybiha in Kyiv on 13 September, Sikorski addressed this issue. According to him, the delay in Poland’s payment to the fund for purchasing ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine was due to the arrest of the official responsible for this task.
This role was performed by Michał Kuczmierowski, the former head of Poland’s Government Strategic Reserves Agency. He was arrested in London on a Polish warrant due to accusations of corruption crimes.
The Polish minister promised to allocate 100 million euros for the purchase of shells for Ukraine, with the first half to be provided this year, with the remainder to follow in 2025, per Liga.
According to Wyborcza’s report, as of August 2024, about eighteen countries had joined the Czech initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine, contributing various amounts. Germany provided the largest financial support and was among the earliest to do so. Poland remained the only country that had publicly declared its intention to contribute but had not yet sent funds or entered into an agreement.
The initiative operates on a system where donor countries can choose what they want to finance from a confidential spreadsheet. Donors either transfer money directly to the Czech state, which then purchases the necessary goods from companies and sends them as donations to Ukraine, or they buy the products directly, with the Czech state handling the donation to Kyiv, Wyborcza says.
Related:
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- Frozen Russian asset proceeds to supply Ukraine with ammo via Czech initiative
- Polish PM Tusk cancels Germany trip as bilateral relations sour
- Slovakia boosts ammunition production, indirectly aiding Ukraine despite official stance
- Polish FM: “We may intercept Russian missiles to protect Ukrainian nuclear plants”
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