Bloomberg: The EU does not have time to provide Ukraine with a million ammunitions for a year

Author:
Anna Kholodnova
Date:

The European Union is lagging behind the plan to provide ammunition to Ukraine by March, writes "Bloomberg" with reference to its sources.

Under the plan, the EU promised to provide Ukraine with one million artillery pieces within a year — first to use existing stocks, then through joint procurement contracts and increased industrial capacity.

Since then, more than half of the stated time has passed, but the initiative has secured approximately 30% of the planned deliveries. According to "Bloomberg", several EU member states have privately appealed to the blocʼs foreign policy department to extend delivery dates.

The United States, which wants to increase its own production to about a million shells a year in 2024, has called on the European Union to step up its efforts to help Ukraine keep pace with Russian production.

According to "Bloomberg", more than ten countries, including the Baltic states, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland, have already transferred or are planning to jointly transfer approximately 300 000 to 400 000 rounds of ammunition. Delivery will mainly take place within the framework of the EU initiative.

Sweden, Finland, Denmark and non-EU Norway placed orders for $55 million. Production of ammunition under these contracts will begin next year.