EU has supplied Ukraine with over 980,000 shells, Borrell says

FILE PHOTO: Ukrainian serviceman checks artillery shells in southern Ukraine
FILE PHOTO: A Ukrainian serviceman checks artillery shells at his frontline position, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in an undisclosed location in southern Ukraine October 25, 2024. REUTERS/Ivan Antypenko/File Photo
Source: REUTERS

The European Union has supplied Ukraine with more than 980,000 shells for the war with Russia and plans to pass the 1 million mark by the end of this year, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday.

The EU initially set out to supply 1 million 155-mm artillery shells by March 2024 but officials later said production capacity was insufficient to meet the target.

"I know that we made a commitment to reach this level by spring – and we failed. But we can do it by the end of the year," Borrell told Ukraine's European Pravda media outlet.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala has said that a separate initiative led by Prague will have delivered 500,000 shells to Ukraine by the end of the year.

Ukraine has also been increasing domestic defence production to try to reduce its dependence on military assistance from its allies and ensure timely supplies.

Kyiv's top arms official said that Ukraine has increased production of mortar shells from zero before Russia's invasion to millions per year now.

This article was produced by Reuters news agency. It has not been edited by Global South World.

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