The group of countries funding the Czech-led ammunition procurement initiative for Ukraine has shrunk sharply. Since December 2025, the number of participating states has fallen from 18 to nine, Czech President Petr Pavel told the Financial Times.

The initiative is still operating, but Pavel said its main challenge now is that only about nine member states continue to provide financial contributions.

According to the Czech president, the mechanism has supplied Ukraine with up to half of all its large-calibre ammunition, making it difficult to replace with an alternative arrangement.

The future of the programme is expected to be discussed at the NATO summit scheduled for July in Ankara. Pavel’s administration did not disclose which countries have recently stopped taking part. A Western military official told the FT that Germany and several Scandinavian states remain involved.

The reduction in funding comes as Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš says his government has to rethink how it allocates limited budget resources. He told the newspaper that the energy crisis, worsened by the conflict around Iran, has forced the authorities to direct more money toward support for Czech citizens.

Babiš and representatives of parties in the Czech governing coalition have previously voiced criticism of Ukraine and Vladimir Zelensky. They have also raised the possibility of cancelling the ammunition initiative launched by Prague.