The European Union has pledged to supply Ukraine with at least one million artillery shells over the next year, a plan worth €2bn in total. The decision was made following Ukraine’s plea for 350,000 shells a month to hold back advancing Russian troops and launch a counter-offensive this year. The agreement commits €1bn of shared funding from EU states to draw upon their existing stockpiles, with the hope of sending this to Ukraine by the end of May. The second part of the plan would see a further €1bn used to jointly order 155mm shells for Ukraine, which are the most sought-after artillery rounds. The EU is hoping this joint order will incentivize European defense firms to increase their output, with the hope that contracts can be signed by the start of September.

The deal means each country will have to share details of their ammunition stockpiles, which is usually kept secret. Current ammunition production in Europe is said to be lagging behind the levels Ukraine insists it needs to fight Russia. However, there are also questions about how much EU countries can share from their own stockpiles without leaving themselves vulnerable.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell recently warned that the bloc had to supply the artillery shells Ukraine needed, or face the prospect of Ukraine losing the war with Russia. He said Russian forces were firing about 50,000 rounds of artillery each day and that Ukraine’s supplies must be lifted to the same level.

In addition to the EU’s pledge, the US has also authorized another $350m in military aid for Ukraine, which includes ammunition for Himars missile launchers, 155mm shells, and howitzer cannon.

These efforts by the EU and the US come amid growing tensions between Ukraine and Russia, with reports of Russian troop buildup near the border. The conflict between the two nations has been ongoing since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine.

—

#Ukraine #EU #ammunition #RussianAggression #counteroffensive #EuropeanDefense #solidarity #peacekeeping