EU updates on Ukraine aid: bullets, training, and funding plans
The European Union is not projected to meet its promise of sending one million artillery shells to Ukraine this spring. Yet, officials expect the total delivered by the end of 2024 to exceed that target. After a casual gathering of defense ministers from the Twenty-Seven, high representative Josep Borrell highlighted progress: roughly 330,000 shells have already been dispatched, which is about a third of the pledge. By March, that tally was set to rise to 524,000, half of the target, and by year’s end it should surpass one million. The discussion emphasized the urgency of Ukraine’s needs at the front and the ongoing assessment of arsenals among EU members.
“Ukraine needs more support, and that message is being delivered to Member States”, noted the European diplomat. He underscored that while the announced numbers are below the initial promise and not all countries have submitted reports on their shipments, Europe’s arms industry has expanded its capacity over the past two years. Production capacity has grown by about 40 percent since the start of the conflict, enabling European companies to produce up to one million shells annually. Contracts signed with the European Defence Agency are expected to push this to 1.4 million shells by the end of the year.
Borrell also provided a snapshot of the financial assistance extended to Kyiv since the war began. EU and member states have committed funds totaling 28 billion euros, with at least another 21 billion euros anticipated this year. He noted ongoing training efforts for Ukrainian forces as part of a broader set of positive developments that accompany military aid.
60,000 trained personnel anticipated
To date, training programs have prepared 40,000 service members, and the 60,000 mark is expected to be reached by the end of the summer. In a video conference with defense ministers and with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustam Umerov as a guest, Borrell highlighted that quality training translates into lives saved on the battlefield. The training component is viewed as a critical facet of the broader assistance package.
During the meeting, ministers also discussed reform options for the European Peace Facility and a proposal to allocate 5 billion euros annually for both lethal and non-lethal support to Ukraine. EU leaders will address the upcoming budget review and an additional allocation of 50 billion dollars for Ukraine at an extraordinary summit in Brussels slated for the week ahead.
One optimistic note came from Andris Spruds, a Latvian minister who said the target of one million bullets could be achieved soon. Realizing this goal depends not only on current stockpiles but also on expanding European industrial output through the Peace Facility. The plan, as explained by Borrell, is to shift the facility’s role from financing only the transfer of weapons from member arsenals to actively supporting increased production capacity within European industry for the longer term.
These developments reflect a coordinated effort to sustain Kyiv’s defenses while strengthening regional industrial resilience and readiness. The discussions underscore an approach that couples immediate aid with strategic investments in European defense production, aiming to ensure a steady supply chain and faster delivery to the frontline. The emphasis remains on supporting Ukraine and coordinating member states to respond swiftly to evolving battlefield needs, with oversight and accountability built into the funding and training channels. Attributions: statements by the High Representative and Defense Ministers after the Twenty-Seven meeting; ongoing EU discussions on the European Peace Facility and Ukraine funding.