After weeks of disputes, EU agrees on €1 billion joint procurement of ammunition plan for Ukraine
On Wednesday 3 May, after weeks of dispute that disappointed many Ukrainian officials, the ambassadors of the European Union agreed upon the plan for joint procurement of ammunition for Ukraine.
Source: The Swedish Presidency of the European Council, reports European Pravda
Details: The ambassadors of EU member states made an agreement at a meeting in Brussels, ending the ongoing disagreement on the conditions of joint procurement.
Quote: "The EU Ambassadors approved decision on assistance measure under the European Peace Facility to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces through 1 billion euros for joint procurement of ammunition and missiles," the Swedish Presidency in the European Council wrote on Twitter.
The details of the agreement that has been reached between the representatives of the EU are currently not disclosed.
The joint procurement plan is an element of the European Union’s plan to supply Ukraine with one million rounds of artillery shells and missiles within the next 12 months.
The foreign affairs ministers of the EU member states approved the plan in March but reached a dead end due to disputes in regards to the conditions of procurement contracts.
EU countries agreed to limit the procurement contracts to companies from the EU and Norway, which has close economic ties with the European Union. But, according to sources, France insisted that the production of ammunition itself take place in Europe.
This position disappointed other EU members, including the Eastern and Baltic countries, Germany and the Netherlands. The German defence industry, for example, imports some necessary components from Britain, which is no longer an EU member, and if approved by France's approach, these companies could not qualify for a contract.
Some officials previously assumed that this agreement would be reached in mid-April, but these hopes were in vain.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba expressed disappointment that the implementation of this important EU decision is being hampered.
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