By Alexandra Brzozowski | EURACTIV with agencies Est. 4min 07-02-2024 (updated: 08-02-2024 ) Content-Type: News News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba (R) and EU's chief diplomat Josep Borrell (L) attend a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, 07 February 2024. [EPA-EFE/SERGEY DOLZHENKO] Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>> Languages: DeutschPrint Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Ukraine urged the EU on Wednesday (7 February) to take “urgent steps” to increase deliveries of artillery shells, with the country increasingly outmanned and outgunned on the battlefield as the war nears its third year. The EU should ease regulation and sign “long-term contracts” with defence companies to boost shell production, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. “If you ask a soldier at the front what he needs most now, the answer will be shells,” Kuleba said, standing alongside EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell, who is in Kyiv on a two-day visit to underline the EU’s support for Ukraine. “Because the scale of the war and Russia’s use of artillery reached a level for which, let’s be honest, the European defence industry was not ready,” he added. Securing more ammunition has been a priority for Kyiv, which is burning through its reserves as Russia has increased its attacks in recent weeks. Renewed attacks Ukrainian military officials have said they face an acute shortage of ammunition and artillery shells as Russian forces press on with renewed assaults on several areas in the east and southeast of the country. Earlier on Wednesday morning, Russian missile and drone strikes targeted cities across Ukraine, killing at least five people and wounding dozens more, Ukrainian authorities said. The whole country was put under air alert and attacks were reported as far west as Lviv, near the Polish border. Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi said Russia had fired 64 missiles and drones, of which 44 were intercepted. Though the roughly 1,500-kilometre front line has barely changed in recent months, Russian forces have the upper hand in stocks of missiles and artillery ammunition used for long-range strikes. The latest barrage follows a pattern of attacks targeting civilians and critical infrastructure. Reprioritisation Kuleba’s call comes as European arms producers have complained of having struggled to ramp up capacity fast enough, suggesting that national governments need to commit to long-term contracts. Before heading to Ukraine, Borrell had called for EU member states to reprioritise ongoing ammunition orders meant for export to third countries and instead send them to Ukraine. “We are giving full priority to the supplies to Ukraine, delaying the refinement of the stocks of our armies and re-routing the exports to third countries to fulfil the priority Ukraine represents for our defence industry, which has increased its capacity by 40% since the beginning of the war,” Borrell said in Kyiv. Borrell also suggested the bloc would be able to “reset” the European Peace Facility (EPF), which it uses to provide Ukraine with weaponry and has faced delays over a proposed overhaul, “by the end of the month”. Kyiv awaits US support EU leaders overcame a Hungarian veto threat to agree on an aid package of €50 billion for Ukraine last week, but support from Washington is still in doubt due to Republican resistance. Kuleba also said Ukraine found infighting in the US Congress over the future of American aid “confusing”, days after Republican lawmakers resisted voting in favour of more support for the war-torn country. “Last night I received the latest report from Washington on possible scenarios, and some of the scenarios are reminiscent of a thriller story. Everything is very confusing,” Kuleba said. [Edited by Nathalie Weatherald] Read more with Euractiv Georgia accuses Ukraine after explosives found at borderGeorgia's acting prime minister accused Ukraine on Tuesday (6 February) of trying to spread war to his country, after authorities seized what they said was a truck loaded with explosives bound for Russia.
