European Union plans to double supplies of large-caliber ammunition to Ukraine this year - Brieger, head of military committee
After a meeting of the heads of EU defense services held on May 15 in Berlin, the chairman of the European Union Military Committee, Robert Brieger, announced that the bloc plans to double the supply of large-caliber ammunition to Ukraine this year.
According to Censor.NET, Euronews reports
"The goal is to deliver 2 million large-caliber ammunition to Ukraine this year. That is, we are talking about doubling the amount that was delivered last year," Brieger said.
According to him, the EU is encouraging member states to produce more ammunition to achieve this goal.
"We are trying to encourage member states to buy more, to produce even more, using the contracts concluded by the European Defense Agency. But we are also launching new initiatives, whether financial or through increased cooperation with the Ukrainian defense industry," Brieger said.
He also spoke about the potential capabilities needed to overcome the maritime threat posed by Russia's shadow fleet. The EU military chief noted that the bloc must strengthen its existing ships to effectively secure its waters and defend itself against any threat.
"When I look at our existing maritime operations, and we have three of them: two in the northwest Indian Ocean and one in the Mediterranean, we are, frankly, under-resourced. So, when such a mission is launched, it is very important that through appropriate force assessment and careful planning, we can make sure in advance that we have enough ships, aircraft and resources to carry out such a mission if it is credible," Brieger said.
Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that EU countries have already pledged to provide Ukraine with at least 1.35 million artillery shells by the end of 2025.
