Bloomberg: EU to provide Ukraine only 600,000 shells out of the promised million
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Ukraine
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Bloomberg: EU to provide Ukraine only 600,000 shells out of the promised million

Artillery shells
Source:  Bloomberg

The European Union will not be able to provide the promised million shells to Ukraine by March 1, 2024. By this time, only 600,000 ammunition will be collected in the EU countries.

What is known about the transfer of shells from the EU to Ukraine

According to diplomats, "European allies will fall short of the 1 million shells they promised to deliver by March 1," providing only about 600,000 by that deadline amid ongoing production delays and fears of stockpile depletion.

A meeting of defense ministers in Brussels this week may try to count other deliveries to increase the total, but will still fall short of the one million target set last year, the paper quoted diplomats as saying.

If Ukrainian forces do not have the shells to keep up the pressure, Russia can continue to fire artillery while its infantry attack Ukrainian positions.

This is an unfair fight for Ukrainian defenders, said the Rand Corp. researcher and US Army Reserve Officer Ann Marie Daley.

Shells for Ukraine

In March 2023, the ministers of defence and foreign affairs of the EU agreed on a plan for the joint procurement of ammunition. It envisages providing Ukraine with 1 million shells over the next 12 months. In particular, it was about seven countries.

But already in November, the EU informed its members that it is unlikely to be able to transfer the promised 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine. This plan should be completed by March 2024.

At the same time, at the end of November, the European Commissioner for the EU internal market, Thierry Breton, citing statistical data, stated that by the spring of 2024, the production potential of defence enterprises in the EU would amount to more than a million artillery shells. However, the transfer of ammunition to Ukraine requires an appropriate solution, which does not exist yet.

Category
Politics
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Poland plans to accelerate Ukraine's accession to the EU

Flag of Poland

According to Piotr Lukasiewicz, Poland's temporary chargé d'affaires in Ukraine, Warsaw plans to achieve accelerated Ukraine's accession to the European Union during its presidency of the EU.

Points of attention

  • Poland aims to accelerate Ukraine's accession to the EU during its presidency of the EU to enhance security for both Ukraine and Europe.
  • Warsaw actively supports initiatives for peace, security, and cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union.
  • Poland promises to compensate for Ukraine's losses in electricity and ensure the necessary volume of supplies, especially in times of supply disruptions.
  • The support of Poland and other countries will facilitate Ukraine's faster acquisition of EU membership, with Denmark set to provide additional support in 2025.
  • Through its EU presidency, Poland intends to influence the consideration of important issues for both Ukraine and Poland, emphasizing the importance of resolving matters promptly.

How Poland plans to accelerate Ukraine's accession to the EU

The main slogan of our presidency is security — the security of Europe, but also the security of Ukraine. Because these are two sides of the same problem. Because if Ukraine is safe, then, accordingly, Europe is safe, — Lukasiewicz noted in an interview with journalists of the ZN.UA publication.

According to him, accelerating Ukraine's accession to the EU will contribute to the security of both Europe and Ukraine.

Poland promises to speed up Ukraine's EU accession procedure
Flag of Poland

Lukasiewicz emphasized that Poland's current presidency of the EU will differ from the capabilities the country had 10 years ago, as it has no influence on the decisions of the EU Council.

At the same time, as the Polish chargé d'affaires in Ukraine notes, the presiding country is able to influence the level of consideration of issues that are important for Ukraine and Poland.

"Our task now will be a constant reminder that this is very important, that all this needs to be resolved as soon as possible. Poland will do its utmost in this direction. And will do everything possible to speed up the accession procedures for Ukraine," Lukasiewicz notes.

He recalled that after Poland, the presidency will pass to Denmark, which has a similar vision to Warsaw, so in 2025 Ukraine will have significant support in the EU.

How else can Poland help Ukraine?

Poland is ready to compensate for Ukraine's losses in electricity and ensure the necessary volume of supplies.

For official Warsaw, it is not a problem to increase domestic electricity production to supply Ukraine with as much as it will need in the event of a halt in supplies from Slovakia.

What is important to understand is that Poland's promises came against the backdrop of an aggravation of the conflict between Kyiv and Bratislava over the halting of Russian gas transit through Ukraine.

Category
Ukraine
Publication date

Poland secretly cooperates with Ukraine in weapons production

Military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

According to Piotr Lukasiewicz, Poland's chargé d'affaires in Ukraine, his country cooperates with Ukraine in the production of weapons and ammunition, but does not disclose information about this.

Points of attention

  • Poland and Ukraine are secretly cooperating in the production of weapons and ammunition, covering areas like drones, tank repair, and high technology development.
  • The geographical location of countries plays a key role in how they reveal their cooperation in arms production, with some countries being more open due to lack of threats.
  • Poland's support for Ukraine extends beyond weapons production, with plans to accelerate Ukraine's accession to the European Union during Poland's presidency.
  • The cooperation between Poland and Ukraine in weapons production signifies their shared interests in the geopolitical landscape, ensuring the security of both nations.
  • The partnership between Poland and Ukraine includes the construction of a defense industry production plant for Ukraine in Poland, highlighting the depth of their collaboration.

What is known about cooperation between Ukraine and Poland in weapons production?

In particular, Lukasiewicz noted that cooperation includes the production of drones, tank repair, as well as development in the field of high technology.

He confirmed that a defense industry production plant for Ukraine has already been built in Poland.

Poland secretly helps Ukraine produce weapons and ammunition
Artillery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Some countries that declare such cooperation, such as the construction of a military equipment factory, are geographically far from Russia. And since they are not threatened, they can talk about it. We are very close, and therefore we do not talk about it. That is, geography in this context is very important, — explains the temporary charge d'affaires of Poland in Ukraine.

What is known about other Polish aid to Ukraine?

Lukasiewicz confirmed that Poland, during its presidency of the EU, plans to achieve accelerated Ukraine's accession to the European Union.

According to him, accelerating Ukraine's accession to the EU will contribute to the security of both Europe and Ukraine.

He also assured that Poland's current presidency of the EU will differ from the capabilities the country had 10 years ago, as it has no influence on the decisions of the EU Council.

At the same time, as the Polish chargé d'affaires in Ukraine notes, the presiding country is able to influence the level of consideration of issues that are important for Ukraine and Poland.

He recalled that after Poland, the presidency will pass to Denmark, which has a similar vision to Warsaw, so in 2025 Ukraine will have significant support in the EU.

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