EU struggles to deliver 1Mln artillery rounds to Ukraine by March
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Ukraine's allies say they are concerned that a reduction in military provisions to Ukraine might provide Russia with an advantage in its ongoing military operation as the conflict persists.
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Steel used in the manufacturing of 155 mm M795 artillery projectiles are stacked in the yard at the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant in Scranton, Pa., Thursday, April 13, 2023. (AP)
Reports on Thursday indicate that the EU is facing difficulties in fulfilling its commitment to deliver one million artillery rounds to Ukraine by March.
In the spring, the EU announced that it intended to provide Ukraine with one million shells over 12 months by accessing the arsenals of member states and increasing domestic production.
However, individuals with knowledge of the situation informed Bloomberg news agency that several EU nations had discreetly requested an extension of their deadline from the EU foreign policy division.
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With less than half of the year remaining, the EU has, up to this point, provided only 30% of the ammunition pledged to Kiev.
With the war on Gaza continuing without signs of resolution, concerns are growing that Ukraine could face ammunition shortages if the EU decides to allocate even a minor quantity of 155mm missiles to "Israel", as conveyed by another source to Bloomberg.
Ukraine's allies say they are concerned that a reduction in military provisions to Ukraine might provide Russia with an advantage in its ongoing military operation as the conflict persists.
Citing unverified projections, Bloomberg reported that Russia is set to manufacture 2 million rounds next year.
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On October 19, a report by Axios revealed that the Pentagon plans to send tens of thousands of 155mm artillery shells to "Israel", shells that were originally designated for Ukraine from US emergency stocks, Axios reported.
According to three Israeli officials familiar with the matter, "Israel" requested these shells to prepare for a potential ground invasion in Gaza and to address the possibility of an escalation involving the Lebanese Resistance, Hezbollah, along the Palestine-Lebanon border.
US officials have claimed that diverting these shells to the Israeli regime would not immediately impact Ukraine's ability to fight Russian troops.
However, if the war on Gaza were to escalate into a broader regional conflict, the availability of US military supplies for Ukraine might be affected.
