Ukraine is set to receive vital artillery ammunition in the coming weeks after Brussels proposed withdrawing the country’s supply of shells from its stockpiles, according to EU officials.
All EU countries except Denmark have joined the project that paves the way for public procurement of replacement supplies, officials said.
“I think it’s going to be very, very fast. And I think we’re talking about days, weeks, rather than months,” the person said on condition of anonymity.
Kyiv has made it clear that its most pressing need as it tries to fend off a new Russian offensive is for artillery ammunition – especially 155mm howitzers. The Russian military fires four times more fire than Ukraine every day.
A proposal by the diplomatic service of the EU, seen by the Financial Times, suggests providing € 1bn from existing funds to be used to return the capital to buy weapons to Ukraine. An EU official said the bloc’s defense agency would “implement fast-track procedures for direct negotiations with some of Europe’s main industrial suppliers”.
There are 12 companies in the EU that produce 155mm shells and Norway also makes them, he said.
“It’s positive that everything is moving forward. I’m sure there will be results. But there are many issues that need to be discussed,” said the EU diplomat.
EU defense ministers will finalize the plan next week ahead of a summit of EU leaders on March 23-24.
European Union countries have struggled to provide enough to maintain Ukraine’s firing rate because their own stocks are running low and the defense industry lacks the capacity to replace them quickly. Some capital also wants money for the shell, the official said.
Ambassadors on Thursday discussed the proposal to use the European Peace Facility, the fund that set up the national contribution that has financed the 3.6 billion euros of arms provided to Ukraine since last February. In the short term, the capital will be returned up to 90 percent of the price of ammunition. Repayment rates will continue to drop to 40 percent, the current average.
In addition, the joint procurement task force will place orders for replacement ammunition. 26 EU member states and Norway have joined a new buying platform, which will pay for ammunition if at least three countries agree to use it.
Denmark just voted to end its opt-out of the bloc’s joint defense policy last year. “The Danish government is currently looking into ways for Denmark to support the scheme,” a spokesman said.
The EU will also help arms manufacturers to increase production, possibly including investment in new factories.
The European Commission last year made a plan to invest directly in weapons factories, modeled on vaccine policy during the coronavirus pandemic.
While the EU budget cannot be used to buy weapons directly, it can be invested in industrial capacity. Brussels is providing €500 million to help countries collaborate on arms purchases and increase the “competitiveness and efficiency” of the defense industry.
A spokesman for the commission confirmed that they are working on a plan for the supply of ammunition to Ukraine. “It is the EPF that should be used to buy military equipment,” the spokesperson said. “We have also proposed [an act] on joint procurement and developing our industrial capacity.