EU admits it will not meet target of supplying 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine
(Baonghean.vn) - According to Bloomberg, this bloc is said to have only delivered about 30% of the total promised ammunition.
The European Union (EU) will not meet its target of delivering 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine before March next year, the news agency said. EU officials have previously pledged to increase ammunition deliveries through direct transfers and private sector deals.
However, the European External Action Service, the EU's foreign policy arm, informed member states of the delay in ammunition deliveries this week, according to unnamed sources familiar with the discussions who spoke to Bloomberg.
Also according to Bloomberg, while the bloc pledged to provide hundreds of thousands of 155mm artillery shells to Kiev earlier this year with the hope of reaching 1 million by March 2024, so far the bloc has only provided 30% of that number.
The proposal calls for drawing directly from EU member states’ stockpiles to make initial shipments and then contracting ammunition purchases from arms manufacturers, at an estimated cost of around €2 billion. However, with just months to go before the deadline, it is unclear whether the target will be met.
The issue is on the agenda at a meeting of EU defence ministers next week, where officials will also discuss billions of dollars in additional security aid for Ukraine. Some EU members have reportedly been reluctant to provide details of their ammunition stocks, and the bloc may soon request more information to determine whether it can achieve its goal.
Ukrainian forces have used up large supplies of artillery shells and other military equipment in their conflict with Moscow, and Kiev officials have repeatedly appealed to foreign donors for more weapons and ammunition. But despite Western support, Kiev’s summer offensive has fallen short of its goals. The Russian Defense Ministry estimates that since June, Ukraine has lost more than 90,000 troops, as well as more than 55 tanks and 1,900 armored vehicles.
According to the European Commission, the EU has agreed to provide a total of €83 billion in military, economic and humanitarian aid to Ukraine since Russia began its military operation in February 2022.
Moscow argues that Western countries have become de facto belligerents by supplying weapons, sharing intelligence and training to Kiev's military, and describes the conflict as a US-led proxy war against Russia.
