The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, called on EU members to transfer to Ukraine their stocks of ammunition, which the Ukrainian army urgently needs in the confrontation with the Muscovites.
He stated this following a meeting of EU foreign ministers, writes European Truth.
It is obvious that we must start procedures for increasing the capacity of European industry in order to produce more [боєприпасів] and sooner. And it is clear that we must strengthen our efforts not only through possible purchases at the EU level to meet the urgent needs of Ukraine, Borrell said.
At the same time, the EU diplomat said that “in the coming weeks, the best way to provide Ukraine with ammunition is to transfer the stocks that European armies already have.”
We don’t have to wait until they [боєприпаси] will make. We must use what has already been done and stored in warehouses and will be done in the coming days. Priority should be given to the supply of the Ukrainian army. As much as we can,” he said.
Borrell said that the leaders of the Foreign Ministries of the EU countries at the meeting discussed how to provide Ukraine with the necessary amount of ammunition for operations against the Russian occupying army.
But this is a question more for the defense ministers than for the heads of the Foreign Ministry. And we present specific proposals to the defense ministers at the next meeting of the EU Council on March 7-8,” the European official announced.
The decrease in ammunition stocks is of great concern in the EU, since tens of thousands of them are spent daily on the Ukrainian and Russian sides. Although Ukraine uses more effective ammunition, it still uses them faster than Europe is able to produce.
Now the US and the EU are trying to increase production both to supply Ukraine and to replenish their own stocks.
On February 20, Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov announced that the next meeting in the Ramstein format would take place in mid-March. In all likelihood, it will take place online.
Source: Racurs
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