The European Union has already delivered the promised one million artillery shells to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
This was announced by the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, Josep Borrell, whose words are quoted by the diplomatic service of the bloc.
The Economist named the reason why EU countries cannot increase shell production for UkraineOne reason the European Union was unable to deliver the promised one million artillery shells to Ukraine by March 2024 is the lack of explosives.“We have fulfilled our promise to provide Ukraine with a million shells, and by the end of winter, we will prepare an additional 75,000 Ukrainian soldiers,” the politician stated.
Borrell added that the European Union has already supplied Ukraine with weapons and equipment worth a total of 45 billion euros. However, according to the diplomat, this is still not enough to change the situation on the battlefield.
“We are giving Ukraine just enough to hold on, and sometimes even less, while Russia has shifted its entire economy to a wartime footing and relies on unconditional support from North Korea and Iran. We need to increase our assistance and abandon our policy of imposing red lines on Ukraine's defenders,” Borrell emphasized.
It is worth noting that the plan to supply Ukraine with a million shells was approved by the European Union last spring. Initially, it was planned that all munitions would be delivered within a year, but by spring 2024, the timelines shifted due to logistical and production issues.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Andrei Sibiga stated that in 2025, if sanctions are not imposed, Russia will be able to produce 30% more artillery shells than EU countries.