Better discipline needed to fulfil artillery rounds commitment to Ukraine – EU commissioner
The European Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, stated this during the Q&A hour at the plenary session of the European Parliament, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
The deadline for the EU commitment for 1 million rounds is spring, Breton recalled, noting that he personally visited all factories in Europe where artillery rounds are produced and saw that the target could actually be met next spring but discipline must be in place to this end.
Defense chiefs of Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy should put pressure on their defense industries so that these products go directly to Ukraine, and only then will the result be guaranteed, the European Commissioner said, reassuring MEPs, who expressed fears that the EU would not be able to follow up on its obligations on time.
According to Breton, Europe should supply Ukraine with as many weapons as it can. The problem is not in capacities, but in the fact that 40 percent of European defense industry output is supplied outside Europe. That is, the ministers of defense should be asked to clearly set priorities specifically for Ukraine, at least for the next few months, the Commissioner believes.
MEPs also voiced the report that North Korea has already supplied Russia with at least 1 million shells while deliveries from other countries continue. Breton was asked if Europe was also going to ramp up production to help Ukraine prevail.
The EU has to be very clear about its proposals as many member states are focused only on their own security, Breton admitted, adding that the members must globalize their thinking and step by step build a true European defense market. Ukraine's support is global and long-term, he stressed, noting that it will remain in place.
Memo. On March 2, 2023, Ukraine filed a request with the EU for assistance in the supply of 155 mm artillery shells. On March 20, the Council of the EU agreed on a proposal to address the issue along the three tracks – the supply from existing stocks; joint purchases from industry; and increase in production. The main target is to provide 1 million artillery shells for Ukraine ammunition for Ukraine by March 2024.
To date, 300,000 artillery rounds have been delivered from the stocks of member states and another 180,000 have been ordered for production and are yet to be supplied.
Also, on April 13, 2023, the EU approved a EUR 1 billion assistance package within the framework of the European Peace Facility (EPF) - an extrabudgetary tool, which currently amounts to EUR 12 billion - to support the Ukrainian Army. This will allow the EU to reimburse member states for the cost of ammunition transferred to Ukraine from their own stocks.
On May 5, the Council approved another tranche of aid in the amount of EUR 1 billion for the joint purchase of artillery rounds and missiles from the European defense industry and their delivery to Ukraine. In parallel, additional projects led by France and Germany are underway.
The third track runs within the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP). ASAP promotes the expansion of EU production capacity for artillery shells and missiles, removes regulatory obstacles, and involves a capacity building fund. It is estimated at EUR 500 million.
As reported earlier, the European Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, speaking at the EU foreign ministerial (on defense) in Brussels, announced the 20-30 percent increase in the production of artillery shells in Europe and the intention to fulfill the commitments made to Ukraine.
Photo: Future Image
