The European Commission, the European External Action Service and the 27 defense ministers of the EU member states have graduated plan to accelerate the supply of ammunition to Ukraine and support of the European defense industry, reports “France Presse”.
The plan envisages a financial obligation of the participating countries for the purchase of arms for Ukraine in the amount of 2 billion euros.
“Our goal is to provide ammunition to Ukraine. Quickly, in the largest possible quantity and at the lowest price,” said EU foreign affairs and security chief Josep Borrell.
Bulgaria “for” the delivery of 1 million projectiles to Ukraine, Dimitar Stoyanov in Brussels
The text of the agreement is almost ready after yesterday’s meeting of the ambassadors of the member countries
In Ukraine, Russian troops fire about 20,000 shells per day, while the Ukrainian army fires four to five times less.
On February 9, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked Europe to provide Kiev with one million rounds of ammunition, including 155 mm shells.
According to the German news agency DPA, the EU plans to deliver just as many new artillery shells to Kiev in the next 12 months.
Reznikov: Ukraine needs one million shells
This is four times more than the EU proposed
It is assumed that EU members sending ammunition to Ukraine will receive compensation from European funds.
The members of the European Union participating in the transaction, will have to disclose information about their stockpiles of ammunition – usually this kind of information is kept secret.
However, the European countries hope that in case of large joint orders for the production of projectiles, they will be able to reduce the sales prices.
It is not yet clear whether countries outside the European Union, including Great Britain, will be able to participate in the implementation of the contracts.
It is reported that current levels of ammunition production in Europe do not reach the level that Ukraine wants.
Experts warn that it may be many monthsbefore the current political agreement results in concrete deliveries of munitions to the battlefield.
The EU is taking a step towards joint supplies of ammunition to Ukraine
A number of member states are expected to sign a draft agreement on Monday
