The Czech Republic will supply weapons to Ukraine thanks to the financial support of Denmark and the Netherlands, according to a ‘Letter of Intent’ signed by the three countries on the sidelines of a meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine at the US Ramstein airbase in Germany on Tuesday
According to the Czech Defence Ministry, the agreement will be a great opportunity for Czech companies. The first partial project will be the donation of 15 modernised T-72EA tanks.
“Specifically, it will involve the delivery of additional tanks, howitzers, small arms, infantry fighting vehicles, air defence capabilities and electronic warfare equipment or ammunition from companies of our defence industry,” said Czech Deputy Defence Minister Daniel Blažkovec.
The Contact Group brings together countries that provide Ukraine with the necessary weapons and ammunition.
Ukraine will receive the tanks in the near future, and other weapons supplied under the signed agreement will be delivered gradually in 2023 and 2024.
“This agreement will be of great benefit to the further development of the Czech defence industry and the security of the Czech Republic as a whole,” Blažkovec added.
Czechia already has experience with a similar cooperation model, having delivered 45 upgraded T-72 tanks to Ukraine in a project with the US and the Netherlands.
These industrial projects in support of Ukraine are coordinated at the national level by the Czech Agency for Intergovernmental Defence Cooperation, which is part of the Czech Ministry of Defence.
“Our task is to coordinate between all the actors involved. We get information from Ukraine about the current need for equipment, Czech companies present their offers to us, and then we present everything to our foreign partners, who finance the project,” Ales Vytečka, the agency’s director, explained.
(Aneta Zachová | Euractiv.cz)
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