EU aims to provide Ukraine with 1M rounds of ammunition by March 2024 - Espreso correspondent from Brussels

This was reported by Espreso correspondent Tetiana Vysotska from Brussels.

"Yesterday we received a positive signal from the European Commission. European Commissioner Breton said that the EU intends to provide Ukraine with one million rounds of ammunition by March 2024," she said.

According to her, the European Commission will do everything to provide this million. Breton will address the defense ministers of each country to ensure that they prioritize Ukraine.

"This requires the political will of the EU member states. Breton will appeal to the defense minister of each state to prioritize the supply of ammunition from the EU for Ukraine. The EU's production capacities make it possible to provide Ukraine with such a volume of ammunition, as by March 2024 it will amount to 1.3 million, 1.4 million units of ammunition per year," Vysotska summarized.

The EU deal to send Ukraine 1M ammunition rounds

On April 13, the EU Council approved €1 billion in ammunition for Ukraine. On May 2 the EU prepared a plan to produce 1 million shells for Ukraine and its own stockpiles.

On May 23, EU Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell announced that since the beginning of the year, EU states have already provided over one-fifth of the one million artillery rounds and missiles to Ukraine as part of an initiative to provide Ukraine with one million rounds.

On June 1, the European Parliament supported a bill to increase European production of ammunition and missiles to support Ukraine's army. July 7 The Council of the European Union and the Parliament agree on a draft regulation on the Ammunition Support Act (ASAP), which will increase the production of missiles and ammunition.

On July 13, the European Parliament approved plans to increase the production of ammunition and missiles in the EU to overcome the current shortage due to supplies to Ukraine.

On September 5, it was reported that the European Defense Agency had signed 8 framework contracts with industry for the joint purchase of 155-mm ammunition for Ukraine.

In early November, media reported that the EU fears that the bloc may not be able to provide Ukraine with one million rounds of ammunition by the promised deadline of March 2024.

On November 14, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed that the EU will be unable to fulfill its promise to supply one million artillery shells to Ukraine by March 2024.

On November 17, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs said that if the EU lacked ammunition and equipment to help Ukraine, it should be purchased abroad and provided to the Ukrainian army.