Bloomberg: The European Union will not be able to deliver the promised million shells to Ukraine by March

Author:
Oleksandra Opanasenko
Date:

The European Union will not be able to deliver the promised million shells to Ukraine by March 1, 2024, due to constant delays in production and concerns about the depletion of stockpiles of the blocʼs member states.

Bloomberg writes about this with reference to diplomatic sources.

By March 2024, the EU will be able to supply Ukraine with approximately 600,000 shells. Defense ministers meeting soon in Brussels may try to count other shipments to increase the total number of rounds sent, but will still fall short of the one million round target.

Previously, Politico wrote that the key reason for the delay of the projectiles was slow production. First, against the background of demand, the cost of production has increased significantly. It now costs €8,000 to produce the simplest 155 mm projectile — compared to €2,000 before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Secondly, there are now 14 modifications of these shells, and NATO countries should standardize their parameters. The process has already started, but it needs some time.