20:02 31.01.2024

EU fulfils only third of promised supplies of artillery shells to Ukraine – Borrell

2 min read
EU fulfils only third of promised supplies of artillery shells to Ukraine – Borrell

According to the latest information from EU member states, they have been able to supply Ukraine with 330,000 shells from their reserves since March 2023, a third of the 1 million promised for the year, EU diplomacy Head Josep Borrell said.

At a press conference in Brussels after the end of the informal EU Council at the level of defense ministers, Borrell said that before March, that figure was expected to increase by more than 200,000 which will amount to 524,000 artillery shells, that is, 52% of the target. This will be due to stocks and both individual and joint purchases by EU countries, he said.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs said by the end of the year, planned deliveries will reach more than 1 million. Available figures show that there will be an additional approximately 630,000 shells, Borrell said.

He said the production capacity of the EU defense industry continues to increase. According to him, they have grown by 40% since February 2022. Today, these capacities reach about 1 million shells per year, but by the end of the year they will amount to 1.4 million.

At the same time, Borrell said the indicators he calls are constantly changing in the direction of increase.

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