According to the Polish agency PAP, France blocks the unanimous decision of the European Union to finance the supply of ammunition to Ukraine. Paris wants to receive compensation for the ammunition that Kyiv does not ask for.
The European Peace Fund is to release €2 billion to finance munitions. Half of the amount will go to reimbursing supplies from the warehouses of EU countries, but their stocks are not enough, so the idea arose to buy ammunition outside the European Union — France opposed it.
In addition, Paris blocked the EUʼs decision regarding the second billion euros. It was planned to direct it to joint orders in European industry, that is, actually in Poland, France and Germany.
At the summit, it was decided that the ammunition should be reimbursed based on Ukraineʼs requests, while France wants to delete this provision and receive funds for the ammunition that Ukraine did not ask for.
Some European diplomats believe that Franceʼs protests are promoting the interests of local defense companies.
Because of this, most European countries reject the position of Paris.
- On March 20, the ministers of foreign affairs and defense of the EU countries reached an agreement on a joint initiative to supply ammunition to Ukraine. We are talking about the purchase of one million projectiles for the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
- On April 6, it became known that the EU cannot agree on who will produce ammunition for Ukraine: European or foreign companies.
- Currently, the defense industry of the European Union is capable of producing approximately 25 000 shells per month. According to the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov, about 90-100 thousand ammunition of 155 and 105 calibers are needed per month to repel enemy attacks and launch a counteroffensive.