A million grenades in twelve months

The EU wants to spend two billion euros on ammunition for the Ukrainian army. So that the procurement goes faster, the states want to place joint orders. Germany is taking a two-pronged approach.

Dhe most important decision taken by the European Union’s foreign and defense ministers on Monday was already in place when they arrived in Brussels. The member states want to deliver a total of “one million rounds of artillery ammunition” to Ukraine within “twelve months”, as stated in the final text of the decision, which their EU ambassadors had agreed on the previous evening. 50 to 60 percent of the costs are to be reimbursed – based on the use value if the ammunition comes from stocks, on the replacement value if it is a new production. A total of two billion euros are available for this from the so-called European Peace Facility, a special pot in addition to the regular EU budget.

One billion is set to refinance supplies from stocks and existing contracts through the end of May, ranging from 105-caliber medium artillery ammunition to 155-caliber heavy ammunition and rockets. Soviet calibers that differ from the NATO standard can also be reimbursed; Ukraine needs them for old guns. The second billion should only be used for the replacement of 155 millimeter grenades and rockets. The Council calls for joint contracts to be concluded as soon as possible and by the end of September at the latest.