Yesterday at 15:20
The European Defense Agency signed nine framework contracts with the European defense industry for the purchase of 155-mm ammunition for Ukraine. The Freedom correspondent was informed about this by the press service of the European Commission. They also told how the obligations to deliver 1 million shells to Ukraine by the end of this year are being fulfilled.
“When it comes to the state of play of the three track approach agreed by Member States in March this year, up to 31 May, Member States delivered around 223,000 artillery ammunition (long-range self-propelled, precision-guided ammunitions as well as mortar ammunitions) and 2,300 missiles of all types. That was the deadline that Member States had to be eligible for reimbursement under the first track of the ammunition initiative. After that date, Member States have continued to deliver ammunition, which is eligible for reimbursement under the EPF,” the EU Spokeperson stated.
The European Commission emphasized that negotiations are continuing on other types of artillery ammunition and missiles. In parallel, other EU member states (for example, Germany and France) implement national procurement schemes.
“The one million round ammunition target remains an important political goal. The Conclusions of the European Council held last week highlight the need to accelerate the delivery of military support to Ukraine to help meet its pressing military and defence needs, including missiles and ammunition. Member States will have the opportunity to discuss the EU’s military support to Ukraine at the next Foreign Affairs Council (Defence) on 14 November,” the EU Spokeperson noted.
As a reminder, on March 20, at a meeting of the European Council, a three-track approach was agreed to speed up deliveries and joint purchases to provide Ukraine with one million units of artillery ammunition
during the next twelve months.
According to the first track, the council called on the member states to urgently deliver artillery ammunition to Ukraine and, if necessary, missiles from the existing stockpiles by May 31 on the condition of their compensation.
On track two, the Council called on the member states to jointly purchase 155-mm ammunition and, if necessary, missiles for Ukraine as soon as possible by September 30, 2023.
Track three was supposed to support the expansion of production capacities of the European defense industry.
On October 26, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the EU of Lithuania, Gabrielus Landsbergis, wrote on his page in X that the EU promised Ukraine 1 million artillery shells.
The European Commission could not confirm or refute the minister’s data on the amount of supplied ammunition.
