Latvia to provide €10m for Czech initiative to buy ammunition for Ukraine, send batch of drones to Kyiv - Defence Minister Sprūds
Latvia will allocate 10 million euros to the Czech initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine. The money will be used to purchase more than three thousand large-calibre 155mm shells.
This was reported by the Delfi portal, Censor.NET reports.
The Latvian government decided to allocate €10 million for the purchase of artillery ammunition for Ukraine at a closed meeting on Tuesday, 14 May.
In addition, according to Latvian Defence Minister Andris Spruds, Kyiv will also receive a new batch of drones in the summer. They will be supplied to Ukraine as part of the Drone Coalition, which Latvia leads together with the UK.
Sprūds recalled that Latvia has recently sent about 100 drones to Ukraine. This time, it is planned to transfer about 1,000 combat drones of various capacities. Coalition member states have announced funding of more than half a billion euros for the purchase of UAVs.
The Minister of Defence of Latvia also said that in 2024 and the next two years, his country would provide Ukraine with military support in the amount of 0.25% of its GDP. In particular, this year this amount will be €112 million.
Latvia's aid to Ukraine
The Latvian government has been actively helping Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. In the two years since the full-scale war in Ukraine began, Latvia has allocated €650 million to support Kyiv.
In early April 2024, Ukraine and Latvia signed a security agreement: Riga will provide military assistance worth 0.25% of GDP annually.
In addition, the aforementioned Drone Coalition, initiated by Latvia, has already raised almost €500 million for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Latvia has also recently announced a new batch of military aid to Ukraine, which will include, among other things, short-range anti-aircraft guns and surveillance drones.
