Ukraine conflict: EU seeks to increase and speed up production of artillery ammunition

Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson (right) and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell (left) hosted an informal meeting of EU defence ministers in Stockholm on 7–8 March, where a plan for increasing and accelerating the production of artillery shells was discussed. (Swedish government/Johannes Frandsen)

European Union (EU) defence ministers meeting informally in Stockholm on 7–8 March discussed a plan for increasing and accelerating the production of artillery shells. High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell outlined the plan during the press conference that followed the meeting.

He said the plan would consist of three complementary, connected, and mutually reinforcing tracks. The first track would consist of a EUR1 billion (USD1.06 billion) package from the European Peace Facility (EPF) to pay for 155 mm artillery shells and Soviet-style 152 mm and other artillery ammunition to supply to Ukraine from existing stocks or those in production in the EU. The second track, with another EUR1 billion from the EPF, would involve the joint procurement of 155 mm artillery shells to meet Ukrainian and EU requirements, identified and co-ordinated by the European Defence Agency (EDA), with the aim of fast-tracking production and reducing costs. The third track would involve ramping up industrial capacity in the medium term and reducing delivery times.

Borrell expected the plan to “encourage EU members to dig deeper in their stocks”. He said there was general agreement among the defence ministers on the plan, with some questions pending. He foresaw them, along with EU foreign ministers, agreeing to it during a joint meeting in Brussels on 20 March, followed by the approval of EU leaders during their summit on 23–24 March, also in Brussels.