Iceland Joins Czech Initiative in Procuring Ammunition for Ukraine
The government of Iceland has decided to support the Czech initiative to procure ammunition for the Ukrainian Armed Forces through third-party countries. This was announced in a statement on the Icelandic government's website.
It is reported that Iceland plans to allocate 2 million euros to support this program. Additionally, Reykjavík will provide 500,000 euros for the purchase of equipment for women serving in the Ukrainian army. These funds will be used to acquire clothing, body armour, medical supplies, and hygiene products.
"It is crucial that we continue to decisively support Ukraine, as this not only contributes to the defence of the people of this country but also to international law in a broader context and our own security interests," said Icelandic Minister of Foreign Affairs Bjarni Benediktsson.
It is worth noting that Ukraine expects the first batches of ammunition under the Czech initiative to be delivered as early as next month.
Currently, 18 countries have already supported the Czech initiative, with Lithuania being the latest to do so, as announced on March 20. The Lithuanian government then stated that it is allocating 35 million euros for these purposes.
Recall that Czech President Petr Pavel stated at the Munich Security Conference that the Czech Republic is seeking ammunition and weapons for the fastest possible supply to Ukraine worldwide. In case of obtaining the necessary funding, there is a possibility of supplying 500,000 shells of calibre 155 mm and 300,000 shells of calibre 122 mm from third countries within a few weeks.
The Gaze recently reported that the United Kingdom will provide Ukraine with a new package of military aid worth £60 million (approximately $75 million), which will include drones and anti-aircraft defence systems.
The Ministry of Defence noted that the aid will come from the International Fund for Ukraine, overseen by the United Kingdom. Of these, £20 million (over $25 million) will go towards ensuring Ukraine's air defence to "help protect Ukrainian skies."
Additionally, the United Kingdom will provide new drones to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It is also worth mentioning that in early January, the United Kingdom allocated the largest package of aid to Ukraine since the start of the Russian war.