Ukraine pushes for more money for ammunition supplies from the EU

EU plans to supply Ukraine with new ammunition under discussion received a lukewarm welcome from Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov on Wednesday.
"We need more," said Reznikov, describing the move from the European Union as "not enough." He added that Ukraine needs 1 million rounds of 155-millimetre artillery shells, costing around €4 billion ($4.2 billion).
About 90,000 to 100,000 shells per month would be needed to "be ready to deter enemies" and start counteroffensives, he said, arriving at a meeting of EU defence ministers in Stockholm.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wants to raise a total of €2 billion to provide the bloc's member countries with additional money to incentivize joint purchases and swift ammunition deliveries to Kiev.
One billion euros should be used to reimburse EU countries for immediate deliveries of existing ammunition stocks from EU member states to the war-torn country.
Then Borrell plans to spend another €1 billion for the joint procurement of more 155-millimetre artillery shells for Ukraine to speed up delivery times at a cheaper cost.
The money would come in addition to the €3.6 billion in military aid the EU has provided so far.
Borrell was bullish about his plan. "We are in war times and we have to have, sorry to say, a war mentality," he said, detailing in a press conference his approach to arming Ukraine.
Borrell thinks EU member states will feel more secure to supply Ukraine if they can rearm themselves and if the European defence industry expands production capacity.
The difficulties in providing Kiev with needed artillery shells has highlighted production challenges facing the European defence industry.
EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton called on Europe's defence companies to adapt to the high-intensity conflict in Ukraine and move to "a war economy" in media comments ahead of the meeting.
Similar to Borrell, Breton believes successfully ramping up defence production in the EU would be essential to allow member states to replenish their own stockpiles and continue supplying Ukraine.
"We need to do this both in parallel," he said.
Helping defence companies access private finance as well as EU funding to expand production capacity to meet increased demand is one of the commissioner's aims.
Breton identified the joint purchase by EU countries of large quantities of 155-millimetre artillery shells for Ukraine as one potential project for such a public-private financing mechanism.
The plan takes inspiration from the European Commission's purchase of Covid-19 vaccines on behalf of the bloc.
Decisions on the EU's further course of action are expected between March 20 and 24 when EU foreign ministers and leaders are scheduled to meet in Brussels.
Meanwhile, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius reaffirmed Germany's commitment to send 18 Leopard 2A6 battle tanks to Ukraine by the end of the month. He said Portugal was sending three tanks.
The tanks would arrive in the country together with trained crews and could then be deployed to the theatre of operations.
Poland already delivered four Leopard-type tanks to Ukraine in February. Ten more are to follow this week.