EU short hundreds of thousands of shells for Ukraine war effort, top diplomat says

The European Union is currently falling short by approximately 300,000 artillery shells in its commitment to supply Ukraine with 2 million rounds of ammunition by 2025, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas revealed.

Speaking at a press conference following the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg, Kallas acknowledged the shortfall and urged member states to intensify efforts to close the gap, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

“Regarding the shell initiative to supply 2 million rounds of ammunition: we are short of about 300,000 shells. EU countries need to take action,” she stated.

According to Kallas, the European Union currently has one million shells secured through the Czech-led initiative, in addition to several individual commitments from member states. However, she noted that further efforts are required to meet the overall target.

“We need either some reallocation of funds or additional measures,” she stated, underscoring the urgency of addressing the shortfall.

Kallas also reaffirmed the EU’s intention to deepen cooperation with Ukraine’s domestic defence industry, particularly in the production of drones and counter-drone systems. She emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine’s technological capabilities as part of the broader effort to strengthen its defence infrastructure.

By Vafa Guliyeva