MoD: Ukraine accumulating ammunition
Defense Minister of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov notes that Ukraine is gradually accumulating ammunition, and the EU program for a million shells is designed for a longer term.
He said this at a briefing in Kyiv, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.
"We are accumulating ammunition. Some of it is under contracts signed with foreign partners, some is under contracts with our local producers. The ongoing discussion in the EU concerns the issue of uninterrupted supply of spare parts (with the possibility of their renewal and maintenance) and ammunition to the Armed Forces until the end of the war. In other words, it is about launching the production of ammunition in European countries for European money to supply Ukraine. Therefore, the figure of one million 155mm shells is for the long term. It does not mean that it will be there tomorrow," Reznikov explained.
Regarding the possibility of purchasing artillery shells for Ukraine outside the European Economic Area, Reznikov noted that discussions on this issue are currently underway.
"Some colleagues support us, they say that Ukrainians don't care where the ammunition is produced, as long as it is produced in a timely manner. But from the point of view of today's immediate plans, this discussion does not bother us," he said.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, as part of the program to provide 1 million rounds of ammunition for Ukraine, the EU countries have agreed to transfer the shells from their warehouses, but their order is still being discussed.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that the purchase of artillery shells for Ukraine outside the European Economic Area cannot be ruled out.
The European Commission should discuss with all producers the capabilities of the bloc countries and their enterprises to produce the previously announced million shells for Ukraine in a year.