‘Ukraine is running out of shells’ as EU mulls joint procurement

Brussels, Feb 20, (dpa/GNA) – Estonian Foreign Minister, Urmas Reinsalu, said “Ukraine is running out of shells” as European Union ministers meet in Brussels, to discuss joint procurement of ammunition.

Estonia wants to provide Ukraine with 1 million 155-millimetre calibre shells worth €4 billion ($4.3 billion), through joint purchasing, Reinsalu said.

Russia is currently using daily in Ukraine as many shells as the EU produces in a month, he noted, adding that with current production capabilities, it would take the bloc six years to meet Ukraine’s needs.

“This is fully unacceptable,” Reinsalu said.

He noted he was very concerned over potential plans by China to provide Russia with arms, and hoped China would “not take that stance.”

GNA