Citizen Fundraisers Outpace E.U. in Arming Ukraine Against Russia
While the E.U. has fallen short on arms pledges, grassroots fundraisers and independent initiatives have delivered millions of dollars in munitions and supplies to Ukraine.
The war in Ukraine has revealed a fundamental truth of modern conflict: resources are everything. Even as the battlefield shifted into a new era of drone warfare and advanced surveillance, traditional artillery, especially long-range howitzer ammunition, remains indispensable. Russia, despite its stagnant and sanctioned economy and the toll of a prolonged war, continues to produce large quantities of shells. That industrial endurance has been reinforced by munitions shipments from North Korea, courtesy of Kim Jong Un.
The European Union pledged to step up and deliver two million artillery shells to Ukraine, but it has repeatedly fallen short of that goal. Officials cite manufacturing delays and limited production capacity as the primary reasons for the shortfall. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has repeatedly called for an increase in European defense production. However, after three years of war, the E.U. has yet to successfully implement its new defense vision. "Europe is ready to assume its responsibilities," she stated. "We are prepared to increase defense investments," with plans to circumvent the E.U.'s own financial rules that would currently limit such spending.
In the meantime, some countries, unwilling to rely on the E.U. or wait for the new strategy of President Donald Trump's second administration, are acting independently and are supplying weapons from their own stockpiles, providing financial aid to Ukraine, or seeking support from neutral nations.
Czech President Petr Pavel, former Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, unexpectedly came to the E.U.'s rescue. At the Munich Security Conference in 2024, Pavel announced that the Czech government had "found" more than 800,000 artillery shells in countries unwilling or unable to sell military equipment directly to Ukraine. Pavel explained that these countries "would deliver the equipment to Ukraine themselves, but they are prevented from doing so by political reasons they consider insurmountable."
After the announcement, the Czech government located and delivered more than 1.5 million shells, exceeding the promised amount, but could not fund the entire effort themselves. Countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Norway stepped forward to help cover the costs, bringing the E.U. closer to fulfilling its promised supply.
Governments were not the only ones funding the ammunition. Czech citizens launched community fundraisers and raised nearly $6 million toward howitzer shells. This was not the first time citizens had taken voluntary action to support Ukraine. Through online fundraisers organized by community platforms like "Gift for Putin," "Team for Ukraine," or "Just Retribution," Czech citizens have donated millions of dollars toward various causes. These included rifle magazines, which raised $700,000; howitzers, totaling $2.3 million; medical aid, with $1 million; a Black Hawk helicopter, for $3.3 million; and the successful fundraising for a direct purchase of a modernized T-72 tank, colloquially nicknamed Thomas. The amount raised on the Gift for Putin platform alone is approaching $50 million, with 357,234 unique donors, and Czech citizens show no signs of slowing down. New initiatives continue to emerge, finding creative ways to support the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Initiatives have also recognized the importance of drones not only as scouting tools but as effective offensive weapons. The Czech initiative "Drones Nemesis" focused specifically on drones, which are in high demand by Ukraine's defense forces. Citizens donated more than $11.5 million toward the direct purchase of First Person View drones, all built to Ukraine's specifications.
Neighboring Slovakia, with its Russian-leaning government, declined to participate in the official Czech ammunition initiative alongside other allied countries. In response, Slovak citizens defied their government's stance and joined the fundraising efforts, contributing millions and proving that voluntary action can outweigh government decisions. Their message was clear: The government is not the sole voice of the country. Prime Minister Robert Fico has downplayed the significance of the fundraisers and repeated his stance against supplying any arms to Ukraine.
Czech citizens also took note of the U.S. administration's shifting strategy on the war in Ukraine—particularly the now-infamous White House visit by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which ended in a heated exchange between Zelenskyy, Trump, and Vice President J.D. Vance. Following the meeting, the Gift for Putin initiative experienced a surge in donor interest, recording its largest day-to-day increase in over two years and raising more than a million dollars in only a few days.
One of the many reasons Czech citizens support Ukraine in its existential struggle against Russia is their own historical and deeply personal experience with Soviet oppression and occupation. "I was eleven years old when Russian tanks invaded us. I'll never forget that feeling," says Czech millionaire Dalibor Dědek, who is also one of the organizers of the initiative. "The Russians are marching west, blindly killing women and children. I cannot come to terms with it."
The organizers have no intention of stopping anytime soon, regardless of a potential change in government after the October 2025 elections. As they put it, the campaign will end only when "the Russians sign their surrender in the Crimean city of Sevastopol." Whatever remains, they add, will go toward rebuilding Ukraine after the war.
At a time when states and supranational bodies struggle to meet their own promises, Czech citizens did not wait. They acted. They raised millions, delivered supplies, whatever Ukraine needed. Their commitment and values have supported Ukraine and inspired a continent—not through decrees or directives, but through voluntary action.
It serves as a reminder that citizen initiatives are effective and that real power and meaningful change do not always come from parliaments. Sometimes, they begin with a simple donation and a deep belief in freedom, liberty, and responsibility.
