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Czech President Petr Pavel says his country is seeking European funding for an extraordinary purchase of artillery for Ukraine, as officials call on neighboring countries to expand their military industries. did.
The development of Russia’s war economy to advance the invasion of Ukraine gave Russia an advantage it had not previously enjoyed in the Two Years’ War.
Officials across the EU expressed frustration that the bloc had not moved quickly to mobilize resources for rearmament in the face of aggressive threats in the region.
Pavel, a former general, told an event hosted by Yalta Europe Strategy in Munich on Saturday that the search outside Europe was prompted by a lack of production lines.
As the Kremlin looks ahead to Russia’s presidential elections in 2024, Russia could use artillery advances of more than 10:1 in some areas to conquer frontline territory.
“President Putin is currently working on a path to achieve tangible success before the elections,” Pavel said. “So what we can do is to support Ukraine in the delivery of arms and ammunition from all available sources.”
He said funding could be completed “within a few weeks” if funding for the effort is quickly secured from countries such as the United States, Germany and Sweden.
“The purpose of this operation is to strengthen the defense of Ukraine.” [forces] “This is so that they can save manpower and provoke the Russian military into as many invasions as possible to maintain their current positions,” he said.
“It is important not to allow Russia any significant successes, because as we know this war is both a psychological warfare and a real-world battlefield fight.”
Please, no progress
Contributors to the Munich Security Conference on Saturday predicted a rapid expansion of Europe’s arsenal after Europe failed to deliver half of the 1 million shells promised to Ukraine last year.
Germany insists it is ready to turn the corner. “We are not doing everything we need to do,” said German Deputy Chancellor Robert Herbeck. “The phrases we used are as long as they need to be. We should do the best we can.”
Germany will spend 2% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defence, Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Saturday, and then increase spending further. Berlin will also create new conditions for the expansion of Germany’s defense industry.
“Countries are clients and customers of the security and defense industry, but companies still need private investment and financing,” he said.
“That is why we need a second tipping point to improve the industry’s reputation and framework conditions.”
Ukrainian officials have distanced themselves from arguments that the country is a frontline for all of Europe, insisting that this battle must be fought by all countries.
“The era of peace in Europe is over,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Saturday.
American despair
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, which is sending all its artillery to Ukraine, said Ukraine needs air support and other means of modern warfare.
“Ukraine cannot win the war without weapons. Words alone are not enough,” she said.
Much of the debate is framed around the US impasse on passing new aid for Ukraine before the House of Representatives goes into recess until the end of the month. The former Democratic Party chairman said the funds would be released once lawmakers return.
“There’s no room for fatigue in any of this. We want to vote and we have the right to vote. More than 300 members of Congress support this policy,” Nancy Pelosi said.
Updated: February 17, 2024, 8:14 p.m.
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