EU's push for ammunition aid to Ukraine hit by delays from France and Italy

An ambitious European Union plan to allocate €5 billion ($5.4 billion) for ammunition to Ukraine has been delayed due to objections from France and Italy.

According to European diplomats, quoted by Bloomberg, the initiative is part of the EU's broader effort to support Ukraine amid growing concerns about reducing US aid to Kyiv, per Caliber.Az.

While most EU member states expressed support for financing military aid, France and Italy have stalled on committing to specific funding amounts, sources said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an urgent plea to the summit, speaking via video link, for quick action on the ammunition plan. He highlighted the importance of sustained and increased support, especially for air defence and overall military resilience, pointing to recent drone strikes as a stark reminder of the war's ongoing toll.

Zelenskyy’s appeal underscored the urgency of the situation as the conflict with Russia drags on. "It’s crucial that your support for Ukraine doesn’t decrease but instead continues and grows," he said.

The stalled talks come at a time when international diplomatic efforts have shifted, with US President Donald Trump advocating for a ceasefire. At the same time, Russian President Vladimir Putin signalled his stance on halting arms deliveries as part of a larger peace agreement, complicating EU attempts to bolster Ukraine’s defence capabilities.

Despite these challenges, EU leaders are focused on securing €5 billion for the purchase of two million artillery rounds, a key component of the ammunition support. The EU’s top foreign policy official, Kaja Kallas, has stated her goal to reach at least a partial agreement on the ammunition plan. "If we’re not able to decide for the whole year, let’s decide for the short term," she suggested at the start of Thursday's meeting.

The EU’s divisions reflect broader challenges in supporting Ukraine, particularly as the bloc struggles to balance internal disagreements and external pressures. Kallas has proposed that EU members commit up to €40 billion in military aid for 2025, following €20 billion sent in 2024. However, resistance from some member states, including France and Italy, has narrowed the focus of the current talks to ammunition support.

Italian diplomats have indicated that they seek more details on the plan, while France, though supportive of the broader goals, is prioritizing the implementation of an €18 billion loan package for Ukraine under the Group of Seven.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo expressed frustration with the delays, noting that many countries were not "performing adequately" when it came to arms deliveries. Meanwhile, Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda criticized the early focus on specific numbers, arguing that the readiness to support Ukraine is strong, even if difficult to quantify.

Meanwhile, discussions in Brussels also turned to US diplomatic efforts, particularly Trump’s phone conversations with both Putin and Zelenskiy, which resulted in a commitment to halt attacks on energy infrastructure but stopped short of a broader ceasefire. EU leaders voiced concern over Trump's rushed diplomacy and the potential consequences for Ukraine’s military goals, with Orpo expressing hope that the EU, Ukraine, and the US could align their efforts moving forward.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU has provided €50 billion in military support, while the US has committed $66.5 billion (€11 billion more). However, Hungary, under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has consistently resisted further assistance to Ukraine. Despite attempts to bring Budapest on board, EU leaders acknowledged that Hungary would likely not join in a unanimous agreement.

“We think that 26 countries will find a good agreement and that Hungary won’t go along,” said Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, signalling a shift toward moving forward without Budapest’s participation.

By Tamilla Hasanova