European Commission allocates $1.6 billion for Ukraine ammunition
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EU countries, individually, with the support of the European Peace Facility will be supplying Ukraine with ammunition worth 1 billion euros from their stocks.
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The President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen in her first state of the union speech September 16, 2020 (AFP)
Head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen revealed that the commission will be allocating 1.5 billion euros (roughly 1.6 billion dollars) for the production of weapons dedicated to Ukraine.
The allocated funds were bipartite. Firstly, the European Commission dedicated 500 million euros to increase weapons production. Additionally, EU countries, individually, with the support of the European Peace Facility will be supplying Ukraine with ammunition worth 1 billion euros from their stocks.
"Together with the Member States, we will mobilize a further 1 billion euro to ramp up capacities across Europe. This is a critical part of Europe‘s strategic capacity to defend its interests and values, and help maintain peace on our continent," von der Leyen said.
Read more: Germany adds €12 bln in military assistance for Ukraine: Bloomberg
Correspondingly, the EU commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton, warned that the EU and their allies lack the adequate capabilities to fully support Ukraine due to the high intensity of the conflict.
"The point is for us to make sure that we can increase the capacity of production of this ammunition, because, to be very honest, because of this war, because of the fact that this is a high-intensity war that probably no one forecast, [it] is true that we are lacking this kind of ammunition to support Ukraine, but everywhere, not only in Europe between our allies, the US is lacking, everyone is lacking," Breton told reporters at a press conference.
Read more: US expected to announce $2.6bln military package to Ukraine on Monday
Earlier in February, the US approved a security package to Ukraine amounting to $460 million.
The military aid included more ammunition for US-made equipment that already made it to Ukraine, as well as new equipment units, such as HIMARS and Howitzers rounds, Javelins, anti-armor systems, and air surveillance radars.
Also included were 155mm artillery rounds, 120mm mortar rounds, approximately 2,000 anti-armor missiles, and four Bradley Infantry Fire Support Team vehicles, spare parts, and other field equipment, the Pentagon stated then.
Read more: Ukraine concealing spring offensive plans from US after Pentagon leak
