EU hammers out 2-billion-euro ammunition plan for Ukraine
WORLD 20 March 2023 - 11:43
European Union ministers on March 20 will look to sign off on a 2-billion-euro plan to raid their stockpiles and jointly purchase desperately needed artillery shells for Ukraine.
Kyiv has complained that its forces are having to ration their firepower as Russia's year-long invasion has turned into a grinding war of attrition, France24 reports.
Ukraine has told the EU it wants 350,000 shells a month to help its troops hold back Moscow's onslaught and allow them to launch fresh counter-offensives later in the year.
Foreign and defence ministers from the bloc's 27-nations meeting in Brussels are seeking to agree on a multipronged initiative aimed at speeding up supplies and bolstering their defence industries.
"Time is of the essence: we need to deliver more artillery ammunition and we need to deliver faster," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said.
The first part of the plan involves committing a further one billion euros ($1.06 billion) of shared funding to try to get EU states to tap their already stretched stocks for ammunition that can be sent quickly.
The second part would see the bloc use another one billion euros to order 155-millimetre shells for Ukraine as part of a massive joint procurement push intended to spur firms to ramp up production.
Buying weaponry together on this scale is a major new step by the EU, which has seen long-standing efforts to work more in unison on defence propelled by Russia's war.
Countries have been wrangling over details, like whether the EU's defence agency or member states would negotiate the orders and if they should buy only from producers in Europe.
EU ambassadors on Sunday hammered out the remaining issues and it was hoped ministers would give their stamp of approval at their talks, diplomats said.
Estonia -- which originally pitched spending 4 billion euros on shells -- pushed for a clear target that 1 million rounds will be provided.
But others were reluctant to commit to a specific number out of fear they won't hit it.
How much in stocks?
After 12 months of eating into their stockpiles, there are questions over how much EU countries can share immediately without leaving themselves vulnerable.
"We don't know, member state by member states, the state of their stocks but we think that there is still some ammunition" available, an EU official said.
EU countries have already committed a wide range of military support worth 12 billion euros to Ukraine, with 3.6 billion euros from a joint fund used to help cover the costs.
Officials say that since the invasion last February 450 million euros from the fund have gone on supplying 350,000 shells to Ukraine.
Key to getting countries to deplete their stocks is convincing them that European industry can step up to produce more.
Ukraine's consumption of ammunition currently far outstrips the amounts its Western backers are manufacturing.
Brussels says EU firms need to switch to "war economy mode" after scaling back in the years following the end of the Cold War.
The industry complains that governments haven't yet signed the long-term contracts they need to invest in more production lines.
The EU is hoping that placing a mammoth joint order for 155-mm shells will incentivise companies to ramp up their output.
It has begun reaching out to 15 firms in 11 EU countries that make the ammunition to urge them to push ahead.
Brussels has said it is looking to iron out regulatory bottlenecks, ease access to financing and even provide central EU funds to help boost capacity.
But several European diplomats say the details of these proposals remain vague and they need more reassurances that they will have an impact.
Caliber.Az
1
|
Poland suspends military drills following fifth soldier's death
27 March 2024 - 13:41
|
2
|
Syrian scenario for Armenia Russian, Israeli experts’ views for Caliber.Az
26 March 2024 - 17:27
|
3
|
Serbian president warns of difficult days ahead
27 March 2024 - 11:04
|
4
|
Global reactions to UNSC Gaza ceasefire resolution Diverse views, urgent action
27 March 2024 - 18:00
|
5
|
Vucic warns of Serbia's Council of Europe departure amid Kosovo debate Double standards alert
28 March 2024 - 12:13
|
BAE displays new armored multipurpose vehicle
PHOTO29 March 2024 - 14:27
Azerbaijan disappointed by biased US stance on peace process
Presidential aide says29 March 2024 - 14:21
Ambassador Ravkov: Azerbaijan and Belarus are strategic partners
29 March 2024 - 14:14
Azerbaijani police seize batch of Armenian weapons in Khankendi
29 March 2024 - 14:10
Azerbaijan attracts $6.7 billion in direct foreign investment in 2023
29 March 2024 - 13:55
Armenian Prosecutor's Office targets family of Dashnak representative
29 March 2024 - 13:43
Azerbaijan asserts right to self-defense amidst calls for regional peace
Hajiyev grants interview to Chinese TV channel Phoenix29 March 2024 - 13:39
Azerbaijan to construct four new renewable energy plants this year – energy minister
29 March 2024 - 13:30
Azerbaijan holds command-staff exercise in one of military units
29 March 2024 - 13:17
Azerbaijan, China strengthen economic ties
From trade to investment29 March 2024 - 13:10
Another suspect detained for alleged complicity in Moscow terrorist attack
29 March 2024 - 13:05
Politico: The European Parliament is once again caught in corruption
29 March 2024 - 12:52
Geopolitical storm brewing beyond Russia's reaction
EU-US-Armenia meeting sparks controversy29 March 2024 - 12:38
Speaker says Armenia doing nothing against Russia
29 March 2024 - 12:24
Armenia conducts house-to-house searches in apartments, offices of nationalists
29 March 2024 - 12:09
Ombudswoman: World community should recognize events of 1918 as genocide of Azerbaijanis
29 March 2024 - 11:57
Global trade at risk as Washington faces policy failure
US-Houthi stalemate continues29 March 2024 - 11:46
Armenia blocks Kremlin propagandist’s talk-show
29 March 2024 - 11:34
Armenian prime minister faces dilemma amid Karabakh junta provocations
How will Pashinyan respond?29 March 2024 - 11:22
Azerbaijan’s ecology minister meets with Saudi energy companies
29 March 2024 - 11:13
Israeli strike kills 36 Syrian soldiers near Aleppo
Unprecedented attack29 March 2024 - 11:02
Poland to deploy troops to ensure security at Paris Olympics amid heightened alert
29 March 2024 - 10:53
European analyst: Armenia unlikely to secure NATO or EU membership
29 March 2024 - 10:42
Top UN court orders Israel to allow food and medical aid into Gaza
29 March 2024 - 10:31
Pundit questions Armenia's dependence on Western protection
29 March 2024 - 10:19
Presidential aide: Azerbaijan very pleased with China in field of global green transformation
29 March 2024 - 10:07
Azerbaijani officials deemed more professional than Armenian counterparts, claims blogger
29 March 2024 - 09:54
Great Return: Azerbaijan resettles 35 more families in Fuzuli amid restoration efforts
PHOTO29 March 2024 - 09:41
Armenian parliament speaker affirms EU membership goal
29 March 2024 - 09:27
Iranian top diplomat opposes military presence of third countries in Caspian Sea
29 March 2024 - 09:14
Azerbaijani, Armenian parliament speakers to meet again in mid-May amid peace talks
29 March 2024 - 09:00
Assault on Yerevan police station underlines risk of violent opposition to Armenia-Azerbaijan peace
Opinion by Commonspace.eu29 March 2024 - 08:45
Estonia must double defence spending to counter Russia - military chief
29 March 2024 - 07:00
Turkmenistan ready to diversify natural gas supplies to ECO countries - president
29 March 2024 - 05:00
Eurasianet: Armenian government grappling with border delimitation dilemma
29 March 2024 - 03:01
Iran displays advanced military might at international exhibition
PHOTO/VIDEO29 March 2024 - 01:00
Armenia’s exports to Russia raise concerns over sanctions circumvention
28 March 2024 - 23:00
Lavrov blames Armenian leadership for deliberately undermining relations with Moscow
28 March 2024 - 21:09
Turkish, Azerbaijani filmmakers unite for joint historical film Golden Train
28 March 2024 - 20:57
Japan looks to revive commercial aircraft development dreams
28 March 2024 - 20:45