In Stockholm, EU defense ministers acknowledged the urgency of accelerating arms deliveries to Ukraine, with their sights set on the shells the country desperately needs. The ammunition debate was overshadowed by Ukrainian demands for heavy tanks and the debate over the delivery of German-made Leopard IIs and then demands for combat aircraft. But during the last European summit, a month ago, the Twenty-Seven considered that more urgent needs had to be met, in this case today shells.
With our correspondent in Brussels, Pierre Benazet
One billion euros for ammunition is double the amount mentioned a month ago during the arrival in Brussels of Volodymyr Zelensky for the European summit – and additional funds could still be made available.
The question must be decided on March 20 by the foreign ministers. With a view to doubling the sum to two billion euros.
With this first installment, the Europeans could, for example, provide Ukraine with around 250,000 shells; this is a quarter of what Ukraine needs, estimated Defense Minister Oleksiï Reznikov during this meeting with his counterparts from the European Union.
Ukraine in particular has a pressing need for 155 mm shells, but the EU also wants to be able to supply small caliber ammunition.
The Europeans claim to have what it takes in their respective stocks, but after nearly three decades of cutbacks in military spending, their arms industry needs tangible guarantees that orders will be there for decades to come. come.
So much so that the European commissioner in charge of defense issues goes so far as to call for building ” a war economy “.
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