According to the Handelsblatt newspaper, a group of EU countries led by Estonia insists on fixing specific obligations for the transfer of ammunition to KievBERLIN, March 17.
/tass/. A group of EU countries insists on including a commitment to supply Ukraine with 1 million artillery shells by the end of this year in the final declaration of the EU summit to be held in Brussels on March 23-24. This was reported on Friday by the German newspaper Handelsblatt, citing sources.
According to the publication, a group of EU countries led by Estonia insists on fixing specific obligations for the transfer of ammunition to Kiev. It includes the rest of the Baltic States, Poland, Romania and Finland. France expressed support for this initiative, while Germany "continues to consider" it, while promising to immediately place additional orders for ammunition for the Ukrainian army.
According to the newspaper, the draft declaration of the summit contains a greeting from the European Council "to promote the immediate provision of ammunition to Ukraine, including through joint purchases, with the aim of providing 1 million artillery ammunition by the end of 2023." This wording may be revised.
Handelsblatt also cites the opinion of one of the diplomats accredited in Brussels. He claims that if Kiev fails to "make a breakthrough" no later than next summer, the chances of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to conduct a successful counteroffensive will be extremely small.
