EU Minister of Defense Holds Meeting to Discuss Ammunition for Ukraine

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Ministers of Defense from 27 European Union countries held a meeting to discuss ammunition assistance to Ukraine. Photos/Illustrations

STOCKHOLM – Ministers of Defense from the 27 European Union (EU) member states met in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, on Wednesday (8/3/2023) to debate plans to replenish Ukraine’s stockpile of ammunition from their own while also increasing production inside that block.

The meeting comes amid fears that Ukraine may run out of the 155-millimeter howitzers that have played a key role in the country’s defense against a full-scale Russian invasion starting in February 2022.

EU ministers will discuss the possible delivery of 1 billion euros worth of ammunition from their arsenal, while at the same time considering how to increase the production capacity of manufactured weapons within the bloc.

Kiev already fires thousands of howitzer rounds daily and faces a critical shortage.

The EU’s short-term plan is to use European Peace Facility shared funds to quickly replenish Ukrainian howitzer ammunition from the block’s own stockpile.

Officials say EU member states have enough bullets that a shipment to Ukraine would not leave them vulnerable to attack.

The block also aims to incentivize arms manufacturers to increase production by placing massive joint orders.

But some member states question whether this will be enough to support Ukraine’s war effort.

“According to Ukraine’s needs, they need at least 350,000 155mm shells per month,” Madis Roll, a senior official at the Estonian Defense Ministry, told AFP news agency DW.