EU ready to double production of artillery shells to help Ukraine

This was stated by Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur, Bloomberg reports.

"We see that European industrial capacities have gone up, so this is a positive trend. Europe’s production of artillery ammunition is set to double this year or next," he said.

European Union countries have been trying to rapidly increase production of 155mm artillery shells both to help Ukraine and to replenish their own stockpiles.

However, years of limited spending have left Europe's defense industry ill-equipped to rapidly increase production after Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year.

While Pevkur did not specify the volumes expected to be achieved in the industry, an Estonian policy document sent to member states this year said the bloc has the capacity to produce about 300,000 shells a year.

• In May, the European Commission prepared a plan to increase the production capacity for artillery shells to one million per year amid the need to meet Ukraine's military needs and replenish its own stockpiles.

• At a meeting on August 10, the Estonian government supported Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur's proposal to provide Ukraine with 150 weapons and ammunition.

• Subsequently, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that the EU had not yet delivered even half of the one million shells promised to Ukraine and that the EU "can do more."