First shipments of ammunition under Czech initiative arriving in Ukraine - Lipavsky

He said this in an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Ukrinform reports.

“This year we will be able to procure and continuously deliver quite a lot of ammunition,” Lipavsky said.

He did not specify when the deliveries would take place, but he said that the Czech Republic through different channels “supplied more than a million of shells to Ukraine so far”.

"This year we will be able to procure and continuously deliver quite a lot of ammunition -- Czech-supplied through different channels -- more than a million of shells to Ukraine so far," Lipavsky said.

The minister said the total number of countries that have pledged to participate in the initiative is 20, including five countries that have already sent money only to finance purchases. He said deals are currently being completed in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Portugal, and Canada - the five countries that have agreed to finance the purchases.

Asked about financial issues in some countries, Lipavsky said he hopes to “move from pledges and sympathies” to getting deals signed and financed.

“We know that Ukraine needs a lot of large-caliber ammunition, and there's...a big opportunity,” he said. “So we hope that we will be [striking] more of the deals.”

As Ukrinform reported, the Czech Republic has been working for several months on a plan to purchase artillery shells from countries outside the EU and provide them to Ukraine.