“Everyone understands that there is an urgency because everyone shares the goal of supporting Ukraine as much as possible and as soon as possible,” said Josep Borrell, head of European diplomacy. EU defense ministers Held in Stockholm on Wednesday. From the meeting, as he explained, a “General Agreement” among the twenty-seven in the plan expedite the shipment and purchase of artillery ammunition value for Ukraine 2,000 million eurosalthough they stay fringes “earrings” It will need to be finalized in the coming weeks with the aim of reaching a formal agreement at a joint meeting of the foreign and defense ministers. March 20.
“We are in times of war and we need to have a war mentality. I would rather talk about peace, but unfortunately I have to talk about ammunition because the war continues,” said Borrell. This means putting in place a plan to further arm Ukraine, where time is of the essence. “We have to supply more and faster,” he added. The initiative promoted by Borrell, who managed to rank among the 27, has three different fields of activity in the short, medium and long term. first, immediate shipment of ammunition available It proposes to finance a new tranche of 1,000 million euros from the 155 or 152 millimeters in the national reserves of the Member States, whether of NATO or Soviet standard, from the Peace Support Fund (EPF).
Since the start of the war on February 24, 2022, the European Peace Fund has paid back Member States 450 million euros for the ammunition sent Ukraine. “The thing is, the war has become a war that consumes a lot of artillery. An intense war in which tens of thousands of bullets are fired every day. So we have to expedite deliveries. Every day there is ammunition arriving in Ukraine from Member States. The question is, do you need to send more and faster. When I offer another 1,000 million, we double what we do. It’s not a stratospheric figure, it’s normal,” Borrell argued.
15 European companies
The second line of action promoted by the EU will consist of the implementation of: Joint ammunition purchases to replenish depleted stocks and to supply the Member States. Suggesting that an additional 1,000 million euros be allocated from the EPF for this, Borrell suggests that the European Defense Agency (EDA) coordinate the work, which speeds up the procedures as it will help reduce prices and lead times. Such central meters will also make it possible to signal the European industry. Third, longer-term goal, Increasing the production capacity of the European industry not only to help Ukraine, but also to respond to the “intense demand of our armies”.
According to the head of European diplomacy, European governments “will be more willing to provide assistance to Ukraine” if they receive assurances that their arsenals will be replenished as European industry increases production capacity. The aim now is to detail the needs of countries wishing to participate in joint procurement so that the EDA can estimate the amount of ammunition needed. “Once the total amount has been determined, a negotiation with 15 companies capable of producing such weaponry. They will determine the price and delivery time according to the quantity we have ordered, and when an agreement is reached, they will start production.” The Spanish politician also expressed that he prefers the European industry to produce the necessary ammunition.
The Minister of Defense of Ukraine also attended the meeting in Stockholm. Oleksiy Reznikovwarning that his country needs 90,000 to 100,000 rounds per month, for both 155mm and 105mm guns, “to deter the enemy and be ready to respond with a counterattack.” Estonian defense minister Hanno Pevkururged his colleagues to transcend “bureaucracy” and focus on the goal. “And the target is one million shells for Ukraine,” he said of Estonia’s attempt to allocate 4,000 million to this target.