France believes the EU must actually miss its March supply target before turning to foreign suppliers.
The European Union fears that it will not be able to supply Ukraine with one million rounds of artillery ammunition on time, so it is possible that they will start buying them from countries outside the European Union. This was reported by Politico.
An anonymous French diplomat believes the EU should really miss its March target before going to foreign suppliers.
“Until we come to that conclusion, we will not do it (buy overseas), but if we have to adapt, we will adapt,” he said.
European External Action Service director for peace, security and defense Benedicta von Seeherr-Thoss said the March deadline was still a long way off. However, even if the goal is not achieved this month, Kyiv will eventually receive the promised ammunition.
“The question is whether we will reach the goal before March or later, in 2024,” the official explained.
The EU diplomat emphasized that the priority was to provide Ukraine with enough shells to repel Russian attacks, not to protect European industry.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics also stated that he has long advocated that if the EU does not have enough ammunition or equipment, it should be bought elsewhere and given to Ukraine.
As we wrote earlier, US supplies of NATO-standard artillery shells to Ukraine have dropped by more than 30% since Israel’s war against the Palestinian radical group Hamas began last month in the Gaza Strip.
Bloomberg previously reported that the EU is behind on its plan to provide Ukraine with one million artillery shells by March 2024.
Let’s remember that Western countries are running out of ammunition supplies that could be given to Ukraine. NATO called on allies to increase production of ammunition.
Source: korrespondent
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