For the first time, the EU financed the joint purchase of weapons, Ukraine will receive its share

For the first time, the European Union has approved support for joint defense procurement among its member states, in particular missiles and ammunition, some of which will be used in support of Ukraine. The European Commission announced this on November 14, European Pravda reports.

It was mentioned that five projects implemented under the European Instrument for Strengthening the Defense Industry through Joint Procurement (EDIRPA) will receive EU funding. Each of them will receive 60 million euros of support from the EU.

Two projects are about the joint purchase of Mistral and IRIS-T SLM air defense systems, two more – 155 mm ammunition, and the fifth – armored personnel carriers. Their total cost exceeds 11 billion euros, says the European Commission.

The selected EDIRPA projects reportedly involve 20 EU Member States. Most of the selected projects also involve the procurement of defense products intended for Ukraine, in particular air and missile defense systems and ammunition.

Note that the EDIRPA program was adopted by the European Union after Russia’s massive invasion of Ukraine as a short-term (until 2025 inclusive) tool to support joint defense procurement by member states, as well as Norway.

Remind you that the European Union is close to fulfilling its promise to supply Ukraine with 1 million artillery shells per year. Deliveries have almost reached this level.

As reported, in March 2023, at the summit, EU leaders supported a plan to provide Ukraine with 1 million artillery shells over the next 12 months. Later it was found that the EU could not keep up with the supply of shells.