Belgium commits €200 million for urgent ammunition supply to Ukraine
Belgium has allocated funds for the urgent purchase of 50,000 rounds of ammunition for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, reports the newspaper Le Soir.
The Belgian government has approved a €200 million provision for munitions to aid Ukraine. The ordinance will be purchased from outside the European Union, whose production capacity is currently limited and unable to meet the needs of the Ukrainian military front.
Belgium plans to acquire 50,000 NATO-standard 155mm artillery rounds for Ukraine. Other contributors to the purchase include the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands, Canada, and Sweden. The ammunition is expected to arrive in Ukraine by the end of March.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo confirmed the move, emphasizing solidarity with Ukraine. "We can never match the sacrifices that Ukraine is making every day. But, we can give what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky requested - more ammunition to fend of Russian aggressor,” the Prime Minister remarked.
Ukrainian President Zelensky expressed his gratitude to Belgium for understanding the issue and providing aid. He highlighted that the much-needed ammunition supplies are anticipated in the "coming weeks."
"Such decisive and timely actions are precisely what we need to defend freedom in Ukraine and across our Europe," Zelensky wrote.