As of: February 27, 2024, 11:54 a.m
By: Marcus Mäckler
Comments
Press
Split
Ukraine demands artillery ammunition.
The EU cannot keep its delivery promises.
The deficiency is evident at the scene of the battle.
Brussels – It was a wake-up call, at least an attempt.
Last week, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell sent a spicy letter to the EU's foreign and defense ministers.
The Ukrainian soldiers are ready to fight, but they need more ammunition in the Ukrainian war, “urgently and in large quantities”.
All EU states must see how they can help.
“Doing nothing is not an option.”
The tone was urgent, rightly so.
Ukraine is running out of ammunition - and this is becoming increasingly noticeable on the battlefield.
The failed defense of the hard-fought city of Avdiivka is just the latest example: Kiev's troops had to abandon it a week ago, partly because they lacked the missiles to keep the Russians away.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyj repeatedly appeals.
For his country, it's about the minimum: holding the front line.
To achieve this, there is no way around fresh ammunition.
Ukraine needs artillery ammunition in the war – support conference advises
However, the USA is no longer a supplier - the $60 billion package is still stuck in Congress.
The EU cannot compensate for this on its own; it is not even keeping the promises it has already made.
Of the promised one million rounds of artillery ammunition, only around half will be delivered by March.
According to Borrell, there are 524,000 shells.
It is said that the million will not be full until the end of the year.
According to estimates, Ukraine's needs are around two million shells per year.
The serious deficiency was also a topic at the supporters' conference to which French President Emmanuel Macron invited around 20 heads of state and government, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in Paris on Monday (February 26).
“The general conclusion today is that the security of all of us is at stake,” Macron said on Monday evening.
Causes known: Capacity utilized due to the need for ammunition in the Ukraine war
After all, there is no problem with knowledge.
The slow procurement of ammunition has clearly identifiable causes: The European defense industry has increased its production capacity, but not yet to the point where it can cover Ukraine's massive needs.
My news
54 mins ago
Arrest in Berlin: Police end RAF terrorist Daniela Klettelesen's escape
Baerbock announces a “long overdue” step – in the future there will no longer be any talk of “Kiev”.
Russia openly threatens to shoot down NATO jets – read “return of particularly aggressive attitude”.
2 hours ago
Cutting hedges or cleaning streets: First CDU district administrator obliges asylum seekers to work
42 mins ago
Putin’s decree is making waves – experts see preparation for “large-scale war against NATO” read
Russia probably destroys first Abrams tank in Ukraine - bloggers point out detail
The Europeans sometimes have to rely on looting their own stocks or searching the market.
“We are trying to procure ammunition from all over the world,” Christian Freuding, head of the Ukraine staff at the Defense Ministry, recently told
Spiegel
.
But it's not as easy as it sounds.
Opinions in the ammunition debate range from demands for diplomacy to criticism that arms deliveries are not sufficient.
© picture alliance/dpa/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire |
Ximena Borrazas
Although there are countries that could deliver quickly, they are primarily those outside the EU.
Buying from them is a problem for some countries.
France, for example, insists that EU funds are only spent on ammunition made in Europe.
The money should stay in the system to strengthen the local industry.
They say they already buy enough weapons from the USA.
Zelenskyj complains about the EU's artificial weapons deficit - the Czech Republic is organizing a million rounds of ammunition
This is how the EU has done so far and is thus contributing to the “artificial arms deficit” that Zelensky complained about at the Munich Security Conference.
In some countries the corset is now much too tight.
The Czech Republic in particular has been putting pressure on for some time.
President Petr Pavel, himself a former top NATO general, recently announced that he had found around 800,000 rounds of artillery ammunition on the world market - including half a million 155-millimeter shells, NATO's powerful standard caliber.
According to the Politico
portal, suppliers
include South Korea, South Africa and Turkey.
But this is not official because at least the latter two do not want to openly oppose Russia.
Aid to Ukraine against EU taboo – to counter Russia
Denmark, the Netherlands and Canada support the plan, which, according to Pavel, would have the advantage that the ammunition could be in Ukraine within weeks.
This would allow the EU to keep its promise to deliver a million shots.
Provided that procurement outside the Union would no longer be taboo.
Will this happen, will individual states pay in the end or will nothing happen at all?
Only one thing is clear: At the moment, Ukraine and its supporters cannot keep up with Russia's production pace.
Moscow is not only producing significantly more ammunition - there is talk of four million rounds per year.
It also receives generous supplies, for example from North Korea.
Kremlin troops can reportedly fire up to 10,000 artillery shells a day.
Kiev can only dream of that.
Marcus Mäckler