In March 2023, the countries of the European Union may agree on joint procurement of ammunition for Ukraine.
Bloomberg writes about it.
Earlier, Estonia offered the EU to invest about €4 billion in the joint purchase of a million ammunition. This idea received preliminary support from the Netherlands and Romania.
EU foreign ministers are expected to discuss the plan when they meet in Brussels on February 20, and a final decision could be made when they meet in March.
According to the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Urmas Reinsalu, there is little alternative to a joint approach to investment and procurement, as the market alone would not be able to sustain a large-scale expansion of procurement without state guarantees.
Romanian Foreign Minister Bohdan Aurescu called the idea "interesting," but added that he needed to study it in more detail. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that Poland is organizing a coalition, which includes Estonia, to finance the production of ammunition for Ukraine. The idea of joint procurement is also being considered in France.
- On February 15, the USA announced the signing of contracts for the production of artillery ammunition for Ukraine. Their total value will reach $522 million.