European Union countries are trying to gather $1.5 billion as emergency funding to provide Ukraine with artillery shells from abroad to strengthen the front line against Russia, according to the Financial Times. The latest initiative to purchase ammunition outside the EU is spearheaded by Czechia to compensate for the deadlock in the US Congress regarding aid and delays in European production. Prague has taken the initiative while European capitals are debating the extension of the main mechanism for military support to Kyiv from the EU. Officials familiar with the discussions say that the cou…