"Czech Support to Ukraine Will Continue," Minister Lipavský Assured Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha
05.05.2025 / 13:23 | Aktualizováno: 05.05.2025 / 13:57
On Monday, 5 May, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský held talks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha. Minister Sybiha is part of a large delegation accompanying President Zelensky to Prague.
During the meeting, Minister Lipavský confirmed the continuation of Czech support to the defending Ukraine. The ministers also discussed the current state of peace negotiations.
"Russia refuses the ceasefire and continues to bomb Ukraine. We must maintain the pressure of sanctions, work within the coalition of the willing and continue to support Czech munitions and the reconstruction of Ukraine," the Czech diplomatic chief pointed out.
Minister Sybiha appreciated the continued Czech support to Ukraine in its defence and pointed to the effective Czech-Ukrainian cooperation focused on munitions and drones. In the past year, several concrete projects have been established in Ukraine in the defence industry - namely joint production of ammunition, production of small calibre ammunition and assembly of rifles. However, the cooperation also works the other way around, with one of the Ukrainian companies moving the development and production of drones to Czechia, which will boost the Czech economy.
"Of course, I assured Minister Sybiha that the Czech engagement in the munitions initiative continues and that funding is secured until September this year. In 2024 we have delivered around 1.5 million pieces of large calibre ammunition to Ukraine. We have thus become one of the main suppliers alongside the US and the UK," Lipavský said of the Czech munitions initiative.
The ministers briefed each other on the ongoing peace process efforts, in particular on the status of Ukraine's negotiations with the US and the activities of the "Coalition of the Willing". The Coalition of the Willing aims to support the Ukrainian armed forces, maintain sanctions pressure and continue the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Ukraine.
Czech assistance to Ukraine also continues through programmes funded under the Instrument for Ukraine or the Intergovernmental Agreement on Technical and Financial Cooperation with Ukraine. The European Commission approved the application for funding for Czech programmes under the Ukraine Facility in March this year. The programmes are the "Ukraine Recovery Guarantee", aimed at the restoration of critical infrastructure with a volume of CZK 4.6 billion, and the "Renovation and Modernisation of Hospitals" with a volume of CZK 3.5 billion.
