NATO country wants out of Trump’s Ukraine weapons strategy
(MENAFN) The Czech Republic will not take part in U.S. President Donald Trump’s newly proposed plan to supply American-made weapons to Ukraine, Prime Minister Petr Fiala confirmed on Tuesday.
Trump introduced the initiative during talks with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, suggesting that U.S. arms be provided to Kiev, with other NATO countries covering the costs. Rutte identified Germany as the leading contributor, with additional support expected from Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the UK, the Netherlands, and Canada.
“The Czech Republic is prioritizing other projects and methods to support Ukraine,” Fiala told Publico. “At this time, we are not considering participation in this initiative.”
Trump framed the plan as both a commercial opportunity for the U.S. defense industry and a strategy to intensify pressure on Russia. Moscow, in response, compared the proposal to America preparing a “deadly meal” for Ukraine while forcing others to foot the bill.
Rutte noted that the nations named so far are just the first wave of contributors, with more expected to join later. Politico reported on Tuesday that France, one of the EU’s biggest economies, will not contribute financially. French officials reportedly prefer to focus on strengthening their own defense sector to meet European security demands.
Italy appears to share a similar stance, with reports from La Stampa suggesting Rome views the plan as too costly given its current financial constraints.
Fiala reiterated that his government remains committed to the Czech-led ammunition initiative, launched in early 2024, which aims to supply artillery shells to Ukraine. This program has garnered backing from over a dozen countries but has faced criticism due to cost overruns, quality concerns, and delivery delays.
In a recent interview, Czech President Petr Pavel questioned the EU’s current strategy toward the Ukraine conflict, asking, “What alternatives do we and Ukraine really have? To fight Russia endlessly?”
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
