EU ambassadors approve €5 billion for weapons purchase for Ukraine
Josep Borrell, the head of EU diplomacy (Photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
European Union ambassadors today, March 13, approved an increase in military aid to Ukraine by 5 billion euros, announces Radio Free Europe correspondent Ricard Jozwiak, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.
Reaction in the EU
Borrell wrote that EU ambassadors have agreed to increase the fund for supplying arms to Ukraine by 5 billion euros.
"The message is clear: we will support Ukraine with whatever it takes to prevail," he wrote.
Ukraine's reaction
Kuleba thanked the EU member states and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, for their support.
This concerns a proposal to increase the financial ceiling of the European Peace Facility by 5 billion euros for additional military support to Ukraine.
"This is yet another powerful and timely demonstration of European unity and determination in achieving our common victory.," Kuleba wrote.
Now Ukraine eagerly awaits the final decision at the next meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council.
EU countries supplying arms to Ukraine
In early May 2023, the EU Council adopted a decision to assist Ukraine with one billion euros for joint procurement of ammunition and missiles.
It was planned that by March 2024, European countries would provide Ukraine with the promised one million shells. However, EU countries failed to meet the plan on time and collected only 600,000 rounds for Ukraine.
At the same time, EU countries stated that they were jointly ready to produce up to 2 million artillery shells annually for Ukraine starting from 2025.
Earlier, the Financial Times reported that EU members today would agree on a new replenishment of the special fund by 5 billion euros to finance military supplies to Ukraine.
