“We have identified at this point half a million rounds of 155 mm caliber and another 300,000 rounds of 122 mm caliber, which we will be able to deliver within weeks if we quickly find funding for that activity,” Czech President Petr Pavel said at the Munich Security Conference.
This won’t be new production, not if they can deliver within weeks. I expect that Czechia is going to be saying that they’re willing to give up some level of their existing military stockpiles that they previously hadn’t if someone will foot the bill (which means that they’d have funds to replace them).
All countries will have some level of emergency reserves left for their own military; they won’t leave themselves completely without munitions.
EDIT: Sorry, not Czechia’s stockpile, as the article says “abroad” – probably in someone else’s stockpiles. Might be some set of countries outside the EU.
That’s the point. Countries refused to order from European producers for years, then push for buying outside “for Ukraine” -because they really need ammunition- now.
Could they have ordered ammunition two years ago? Yes! One year ago? Of course! What about last month? Sure! But they didn’t. Countries intentionally ignored the issue and waited until they can justify buying outside of Europe by the urgent demand.
This right here will be the downfall of Europe: countries actively avoiding European production if its not done by themselves but by neighbours that might be industrial competition some day.