The Czech Republic plans to extend the “ammunition initiative” launched under the previous government of Petr Fiala, enabling Ukraine to receive artillery shells and other munitions, Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka said at a briefing with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha, according to RBC-Ukraine on Friday, January 9.
“I’ve become a goodwill ambassador - the continuation of the ammunition initiative, which is extremely important for Ukraine. I’m glad we managed to find a compromise and consensus that will ensure the continuation of the initiative with ammunition,” he said.
Macinka said the decision not to scrap the program followed “a whole series of questions and speculation.”
“Therefore we wanted first to review it, study it, analyze it, and also determine whether it could be done a bit differently but with the same result,” he added.
Ukraine’s foreign minister stressed the initiative’s importance for Europe’s security. “We welcome the continuation of the Czech initiative on modalities acceptable to the Czech government. The modal linkage should be mutually beneficial for both sides. This is the right approach,” Sybiha said.
Macinka said he also discussed deliveries of needed military gear with Sybiha and invited Czech businesses to take part in those supplies.
On the peace process, Macinka said he had been briefed on talks between Ukraine and the United States. “I understood whether to see this optimistically or pessimistically, so my attitude will be more realistic. I see that Ukraine has a strong interest in peace and I see that it is ready,” he added.
Macinka arrived in Ukraine on January 9. In Kyiv, he plans to meet Sybiha and Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Czech chargé d’affaires over comments by Czech parliamentary speaker Tomio Okamura. In the Czech Republic, more than 41,200 people signed an open letter to Ukraine’s ambassador apologizing for Okamura’s anti-Ukrainian remarks.
Ruslan Stefanchuk, speaker of Ukraine’s parliament, said Okamura’s New Year’s address “is an example of ignorance and cynicism.”
