The EU wanted to deliver one million artillery shells to Ukraine by next spring. But nothing comes of it. Defense Minister Pistorius made it clear: the million will not be reached.
According to Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, the EU plans to deliver one million artillery shells to Ukraine by spring 2024 are doomed to failure. “The one million will not be reached. We have to assume that,” said the SPD politician on Tuesday at a meeting of EU defense ministers in Brussels.
Pistorius also cited insufficient production capacity as the reason. By concluding framework agreements, Germany had made a major contribution to increasing capacities, he explained. But the production processes are “as they are”. Not even a decision on a war economy could lead to production starting tomorrow and demand being met.
Money is there, but production is not
Pistorius also made it clear that he had always had doubts about the EU target set in March. “I didn’t promise a million – not consciously,” he said. Even before the decision, there were voices who said: “Be careful, a million is easy to decide on and the money is there – but the production has to be there.” Unfortunately, the warning voices are now right, he added.
The EU’s progress in supporting Ukraine and aid plans for the future were the top topics on the agenda of the defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. On March 20, the EU states promised Ukraine that they would provide one million new artillery shells for the defensive war against Russia within twelve months. They should be organized from the stocks of the member states, but also through new joint procurement projects, and prevent shortages in the Ukrainian armed forces.
Production must be ramped up and accelerated
According to information from EU circles, only around 300,000 of the promised artillery shells have so far been delivered. Pistorius said they are looking for ways in which projects could be implemented more quickly in close coordination with the arms industry. “Production must be ramped up and accelerated. That is the order of the day.”
Source: Stern
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