US signs deal with Bulgaria and South Korea to arm Ukraine - FT
Bulgaria and South Korea will supply munitions to Ukraine (Getty Images)
Financial Times reported that Bulgaria and South Korea had signed an agreement with the United States to provide Ukraine with 155mm munitions. Negotiations are also underway with Japan.
This move is a part of the US's efforts to increase the supply of critically important 155mm munitions used in howitzers along the entire front line in Ukraine. The efforts include short-term provisions from international allies, and Washington also plans to boost its own production over the next two years.
US officials confirmed that agreements have already been finalized with Bulgaria and South Korea for the supply of ammunition to Ukraine, and negotiations are ongoing with Japan.
American officials revealed that Ukraine fires up to 8,000 artillery shells a day.
According to FT, US officials have been aware of the high rate of ammunition usage and potential supply disruptions in Ukraine for several months. Military aid efforts have been intensified in response to Ukraine's counteroffensive.
In addition to the agreements and increased production, the US military is constructing more production lines. Facilities are being renovated in Ontario, Canada, and a new assembly line is being established in Texas. Military sources suggest that new facilities could be developed in Arkansas, Iowa, and Kansas, where 155mm munitions will be loaded, assembled, and packaged.
Munitions issue
Prior to the Ukrainian counteroffensive, allies and partners had already raised concerns about the supply of ammunition to Ukraine. The European Union allocated additional funds to purchase munitions, and the US provided Ukraine with cluster munitions.
Both the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the White House have confirmed that Ukrainian troops are already using American cluster munitions on the frontline.
