France convenes a meeting of Ukraine’s allies on March 7 and joins the Czech initiative to purchase ammunition.

France invited the ministers of foreign affairs and defense from Ukraine and its primary allies, as well as the Secretary General of NATO and the head of EU diplomacy, to participate in a video call on March 7.

The goal of the meeting is to demonstrate a “united front” and put forward concrete proposals to increase support for Kyiv after Emmanuel Macron was criticized for sending Western troops to Ukraine.

In addition, Macron supports the Czech plan to supply 800,000 artillery shells to Ukraine and plans to join this initiative.

As Bloomberg clarifies, the purchase of ammunition will not be financed by EU funds, such as the European Peace Fund, but by bilateral contributions from participating countries. The Czech Republic itself will take over the procurement process.

Meanwhile, the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, after meeting with Macron, called for the expansion of forms of aid to Ukraine, including a possible military presence in the form of assistance and “non-combat interaction”, which are both being considered.