There is progress: the Estonian minister assessed the prospect of supplying Ukraine with ammunition from the EU

Supply of 1 million ammunition to Ukraine from the EU / Collage 24 Channel

At the beginning of 2023, the European Union promised to provide Ukraine with 1 million artillery ammunition within 12 months. Our state should receive the promised shells in March next year. However, now there are more and more frequent statements that the bloc is lagging behind plans.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna suggested whether the EU will be able to supply ammunition before March 2024. He noted that Ukraine already needs these shells to deter Russian troops and counter-offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

No time to wait

The head of the Estonian Foreign Ministry said that at every meeting with the foreign ministers of the European Union he puts the issue of transferring 1 million ammunition on the agenda. The partners are already making some progress, but the pace of this process must be even greater.

I hope that by March we will be able to fulfill what we promised,” Tsakhkna noted.

According to him, Estonia actually did its part in the beginning because it was one of the countries that initiated this agreement on the provision of ammunition.

“Ukraine does not have time to wait until March. I really hope that we will be able to deliver as much as we can, and Ukraine will win the war,” added the head of the Estonian Foreign Ministry.

What they say in Germany about the transfer of shells

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said it is unlikely that the EU will have time to transfer the promised ammunition to Ukraine within the specified time frame. In addition, he noted whether this figure was “realistic.”

We must assume that 1 million (ammunition – Channel 24) will not be reached,” Pistorius emphasized.

In order for the Armed Forces of Ukraine to receive shells on time, production needs to be expanded and accelerated.

The EU believes that it will be able to deliver the shells on time

At the same time, the European Commission is confident that the EU will be able to fulfill the plan and Ukraine will receive artillery ammunition within the specified period.

The European defense industry exports large quantities of ammunition and could change its priority, added EU High Representative Josep Borrell.

He also responded to rumors that the EU will not be able to fulfill its promise. Borrell said this is not a “capacity shortage.” The problem is that about 40% of the products of the European defense industry are exported to third countries.

Perhaps we need to try to transfer this production to priority, and now it is Ukraine. Let’s see, that would be a real change,” Borrell said.

Since February 2023, the European Union has increased its industrial capacity for the production of ammunition by 20 – 30%, emphasized the European Commissioner for Internal Trade, Thierry Breton. Now the EU can produce a million shells in a year.