The European Union will fall far short of its target of sending one million artillery shells to Ukraine by March, it said on Wednesday, adding that just over half that number would be delivered by the deadline.
Speaking after an EU defence ministers' meeting in Brussels, the bloc's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said around 52% of the promised rounds would be delivered by March, with the original target to be reached by the end of the year.
The target was set in response to Ukraine's need for 155-mm artillery shells, which have become a key element in its fight against Russia's 2022 invasion as the conflict descends into an intense war of attrition.
"There was some initial inertia, but then once things get set in motion, they can speed up," Borrell said by way of explanation as to why the EU will not meet its own deadline.
According to the EU's foreign policy chief, the production capacity for artillery shells in Europe has gone up 40% since the start of the war and is expected to reach 1.4 million rounds a year by the end of 2024.
The European Defence Agency has signed 60 framework contracts for the joint procurement of 155-mm ammunition alone, Borrell told reporters.
"These contracts have the remaining spare capacity for an estimated volume of 1.5 million (shells)," he said, adding he had encouraged countries to place orders.
"Ukraine needs more support, and that is a message I passed on to member states: You have to do more and quick, because in the frontline, the battle is fierce."
The EU ministers had also agreed to train another 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers, Borrell said, on top of 40,000 already trained.
