This European Union to speed up ammo delivery Ukraine. So far, as confirmed by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, European governments surrender to Kiev 220,000 artillery munitions and 1,300 missiles of different calibers. The volume represents a significant quantitative leap that brings Twenty-Seven closer to reality. million rounds He promised to deliver within the year. “There has been a significant leap” on the balance of deliveries, the Spanish politician said after a meeting of Defense Ministers, where 90% focused on military support to Ukraine, and that “with this speed we will be able to meet the million target.”
Ammunition, estimated to be worth 860m euros, comes from Member States’ arsenals and will be covered by 1,000m euros allocated under the one million euro replenishment plan adopted by the EU on 20 March. bullets in the next 12 months. The second action plan, to which an additional 1,000 million euros will be allocated, joint purchase agreements ammo. As Borrell explained, 8 out of 24 EU countries interested in participating in EU tenders and Norway confirmed their intention to participate in the joint purchase of 155mm ammunition under EU coordination. European Defense Agency (with its English abbreviation EDA). Another project led by France and a second project led by Germany will join this project.
“The coming days, weeks and months will be strategically decisive for the war in Ukraine, everyone agrees, and that’s why the Defense Council is focused on 90 percent of our military support to Ukraine,” said the head of European diplomacy. increased the number of Ukrainian soldiers trained by member states to 20,000. “If we go at this rate, we will reach 30,000 by the end of the year, which will be double what was originally planned.” : more than 10,000 Million in military equipment.
blocked payment
a balance marred by the lack of agreement 500 million new payments blocked by Hungary. Celebrating the appetite for boosting donations that exists among the majority of the twenty-seven people, Borrell said: “I hope the hurdles to ratification will be overcome this week. I still haven’t reached a unanimous agreement today.” Peace Support FundIn which aid to Ukraine is fed, another 3,500 million euros. “In this way, we will be able to increase the action capacity of the EPF, not just for Ukraine,” he explained.
He made another plan at the defense ministers meeting. Ukrainian pilot training and possible shipment warplanes After months of pressure from Kiev on Ukraine, the US government last Friday Joe Biden It has agreed to cross another red line that has so far remained untouched since the start of the invasion of Russia and to give the green light to the training and education of Ukrainian pilots in using F-16 fighter planes. A decision that brings closer the possibility of supplying Ukraine with such a device in the coming months to protect its airspace from Russia.
For the time being, some Member States – the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark – and the United Kingdom have stepped forward and have made public their desire to train pilots and start a coalition in this area. “We don’t know how long this war will last, but Ukraine should be able to defend itself while driving and afterwards. Investing in F-16 pilot training is something that will show its post-war effects, but it’s always a good investment because it’s an investment in security,” argued the Danish Minister of Defense, Kajsa Ollongren He announced that he is in talks with other allies who want to train or own F-16s. “It is important to do this as soon as possible,” he added, leaving the final fighter shipment to a later stage.
While there is no possible timetable for now, his Danish counterpart, Troels Lund Poulsenannounced that a decision can be taken until the end of June so that the trainings can start as soon as possible. “We can’t discuss a possible donation of F-16 fighter jets until the fall,” he said. Both High Representative Borrell and NATO Secretary General, Jens StoltenbergStating that he welcomed the statements of some countries participating in the meeting regarding the training of Ukrainian pilots “as it shows our willingness to support Ukraine and be prepared for the long term”, the Norwegian leader emphasized that the decision gave him the opportunity to “make a decision”. well” in the “later” deliveries of modern Western-made fighters.
This is an idea supported by Spain despite being a minister. Daisy Robles Arriving at the meeting, he remembered that Spain did not have an F-16, but an F-18 with another training and training dynamic. “Absolute and full support for Ukraine within our presence and on fighters, solidarity with other countries, but there is no F-16, especially in Spain,” he recalled.