Borel promises Ukraine more than a million EU munitions by the end of the year
He suggested that EU countries should negotiate with their customers and redirect the ordered shells to Ukraine
On Wednesday 7 February, European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell is visiting Kyiv to discuss, among other things, the supply of ammunition to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Last year, the EU promised to supply Ukraine with one million rounds of ammunition by March 2024, but in reality, it will only be able to fulfil this promise by half.
Borrell has now said that Ukraine should receive 1.155 million rounds of ammunition from the EU by the end of 2024, Ukrainian media reported.
"The European Union's defence industry continues to grow and develop. We can state that its capacity has increased by 40%," Borrell was quoted as saying by Interfax-Ukraine.
Prior to his visit to Kyiv, Borrell said that the EU was not fulfilling its own plans to supply Ukraine with artillery shells not because EU countries lacked production capacity, but because they exported shells to other countries.
During his meeting with Josep Borrell, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that the European defence industry is increasing production to support Kyiv.
"Europe is waking up from a 'sleeping siesta'. The European defence industry is increasing its capacity, and I am sure that we will soon feel it. We have discussed this with Mr Borrell today," said Denys Shmyhal.
The Ukrainian Prime Minister added that one of the top priorities is to supply Ukraine with artillery shells.
Last year, the EU promised to supply Ukraine with one million shells by March 2024, but in reality, it will be able to fulfil this promise by a maximum of half. That is why some EU countries, including the Czech Republic, are proposing to buy the shells for Ukraine outside the union.
According to a BBC correspondent in Warsaw, Borrell suggested that EU countries instead negotiate with their customers and redirect the products to Ukraine.
Background. Earlier, Borrell said that Putin would not stop until he had won in Ukraine. In his opinion, the reasons for such ambitions should be sought in the historical heritage, because "Russia could never become a nation".
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