Portugal to contribute EUR 100M to Czech initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine

Portugal will join the Czech Republic's initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine from third countries and will allocate EUR 100 million for this purpose.

The Ministry of Defense of Portugal said this in a post on social media platform X, according to Ukrinform.

“Portugal supports Ukraine with 100 million euros for high-caliber artillery ammunition.  Along with several European countries, we’re joining the Czech procurement initiative,” the post says.

The Ministry of Defense of Portugal said that the use of these munitions on the battlefield has reached extremely high levels, which “makes it vital and urgent for Ukraine to obtain additional munitions to respond to Russia's continued and more intense attacks”.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Czech President Petr Pavel announced on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference that Prague had found in third countries about 800,000 artillery rounds (500,000 155mm rounds and 300,000 122mm shells) that EU members could purchase for Ukraine. Several nations have already supported the initiative.

In February, at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, French Minister of Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu, together with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, announced a coalition to support Ukraine's air defense capabilities.

France and Germany lead the coalition, which includes 15 countries. Its efforts will be aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s air defense potential in the war against Russia.