EU gives Ukraine €2bn of ammunition after shell plea

More than a twelve European Union subordinate states person agreed to proviso Ukraine with astatine slightest 1 cardinal artillery shells implicit the adjacent year.

The plan, worthy €2bn successful total, was agreed successful Brussels connected Monday.

Ukraine had told the EU it needed 350,000 shells a period to clasp backmost advancing Russian troops and motorboat a counter-offensive this year.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba hailed the "game-changing decision" from the EU.

"Exactly what is needed," he wrote connected Twitter. "Urgent transportation and sustainable associated procurement."

The woody comes arsenic Russia grows acrophobic astatine a Ukrainian counter-offensive adjacent Bakhmut oregon successful confederate Ukraine, according to a study from deliberation vessel Institute for the Study of War.

Meanwhile, Russia's ain caller twelvemonth violative "may beryllium nearing culmination", the ISW added.

The archetypal portion of the program commits €1bn ($1.06bn; £863m) of shared backing for EU states to gully upon their existing stockpiles, with the anticipation of sending this to Ukraine by the extremity of May.

The 2nd portion of the woody would spot a further €1bn utilized to jointly bid 155mm shells for Ukraine - the astir sought-after artillery rounds.

The EU is hoping this associated bid volition incentivise European defence firms to summation their output, with the anticipation that contracts tin beryllium signed by the commencement of September.

The woody means each state volition person to stock details of their ammunition stockpiles - thing usually kept secret.

Current ammunition accumulation successful Europe is said to beryllium lagging down the levels Ukraine insists it needs to combat Russia.

There are besides questions astir however overmuch EU countries tin stock from their ain stockpiles without leaving themselves vulnerable.

"Increasing concern capableness is essential," EU interior marketplace commissioner Thierry Breton said during a sojourn to French arms manufacture institution Nexter connected Monday.

EU overseas argumentation main Josep Borrell precocious warned that the bloc had to proviso the artillery shells Ukraine needed, oregon look the imaginable of Ukraine losing the warfare with Russia.

He said Russian forces were firing astir 50,000 rounds of artillery each time and that Ukraine's supplies indispensable beryllium lifted to the aforesaid level.

Hungary, which has not sent ammunition to Ukraine and has often threatened to veto sanctions against Russia, abstained from Monday's ballot successful Brussels but overseas curate Peter Szijjarto said it would "not forestall others from doing what they want".

Norway besides announced connected Monday that it had delivered 8 German-made Leopard II tanks to Ukraine to beryllium utilized successful a imaginable Ukrainian counter-offensive against Russia this spring.

Separately, the US is authorising different $350m successful subject assistance for Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. It includes ammunition for Himars rocket launchers, and howitzer cannons.