France expected to support Czech-led push to source ammo for Ukraine from outside EU — Bloomberg

Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark previously joined France in supporting the plan to source ammunition from non-EU countries. As anonymous sources told Bloomberg, Macron will discuss this proposal with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala during his visit to Prague.

A separate meeting of EU Defense and Foreign Ministers is also expected to take place later this week to discuss the details.

Michael Roth, Chairman of the Bundestag's Foreign Affairs Committee, said in an interview with NV earlier that three countries are blocking the purchase of ammunition for Ukraine outside the European Union: France, Greece and Cyprus.

Czech President Petr Pavel said on Feb. 17 that the country had found hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds abroad that it could transfer to Ukraine if it could find the funding.

The President's Office said on Feb. 23 that it will find money for the 800,000 shells mentioned by the Czech president.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo announced on Feb. 28 that Belgium will allocate 200 million euros ($217 million) to purchase ammunition for Ukraine outside the EU.