Czechia to send additional weapons to Ukraine

The Czech Republic reached an agreement with Denmark and the Netherlands to supply additional weapons to Ukraine with two countries’ financial assistance.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday at Rammstein Air Force Base in Germany during a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

Specifically, it will include the supply of additional tanks, howitzers, small arms, infantry fighting vehicles, air defense equipment, electronic warfare or ammunition from defense companies.

According to the Czech Ministry of Defense, Kyiv will receive both modern Czech weapons and modernized equipment already in service with the armed forces.

The first project will be the transfer of 15 modernized T-72EA tanks. The delivery will take place in the coming months.

Previously, the Czech Republic transferred 45 modernized T-72 tanks to Ukraine as part of a joint project with the United States and the Netherlands.

The Czech Republic noted that negotiations on the supply of equipment will take place depending on the needs of Ukraine.

“We will receive information from Ukraine about the current need… Czech companies will provide us with their proposals, and then we will present everything to our foreign partners who will finance the project,” explained the Intergovernmental Defense Cooperation Agency, which is part of the Defense Ministry.

T-72EA tanks have been supplied to Ukraine for a long time. This is the export version of the Soviet-era T-72M1 tank modernized by Excalibur Army company.

The Ukrainian forces are receiving them due to the joint support of the three countries. In the fall of 2022, the United States and the Netherlands decided to finance the transfer of tanks overhauled by a Czech company to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The Czech defense company Excalibur Army produces and modernizes military equipment, including tanks.

The Ukrainian military also received new simulators for training on the new modernized T-72EA tank.