European Union Approves $2 Billion Plan to Supply Ukraine with Ammunition

The European Commission, the European External Action Service and 27 defense ministers have finalized a plan to boost delivery of weapons to Ukraine and support the European defense industry, AFP reports. The plan includes a financial commitment by participating countries to purchase weapons for Ukraine worth 2 billion euros, bbc.com reports. “We have the purpose to provide ammunition to Ukraine, the quicker and in the greater quantity possible, at the cheapest price,” EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said. In Ukraine, Russian troops fire about 20,000 shells daily, while the Ukrainian army fires four to five times less. On February 9, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to Europe to provide Kyiv with one million rounds of ammunition, including 155-mm shells. According to the DPA news agency, that is how many new artillery shells the EU plans to supply to Kyiv over the next 12 months.