According to European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius, EU countries intend to produce 2 million artillery ammunition for Ukraine in 2025.
Points of attention
- The European Union aims to produce and transfer 2 million artillery ammunition to Ukraine in 2025 to enhance its defense capabilities.
- The US has signed a $253.7 million contract to increase missile production for military assistance to Ukraine, including Harpoon, JASSM, LRASM, Tomahawk missiles, and other precision strike weapons.
- EU intends to allocate about 30 billion euros to Ukraine in 2025, allowing Kyiv to independently decide on its use and integrate its military-industrial complex into the European defense industry.
- EU Commissioner emphasizes the importance of defense orders from European countries to boost weapon production for Ukraine and highlights the funding sources for weapon purchases.
- These efforts aim to increase production capacity to protect against enemy aggression, as part of the military aid package for Ukraine by the EU and US in 2025.
What is known about the EU's plans to manufacture and transfer artillery ammunition to Ukraine in 2025?
Kubilius noted that currently EU countries produce only 20-25% of weapons, and the rest is purchased from other countries.
The European Commissioner emphasized that orders from European countries are needed to increase production, but this is currently lacking.
He added that without an increase in defense orders, there is no need to expect an increase in the production of weapons and ammunition for Ukraine.
Money from the EU budget cannot be used to purchase weapons for Ukraine. There are a number of restrictions on investment in the defense industry outside the EU. However, money from the European Peace Fund or from frozen Russian assets can be used to purchase weapons, Kubilius explains.
According to him, in 2025 the EU intends to allocate about 30 billion euros to Ukraine, the use of which Kyiv will decide independently.
The European Union is also currently implementing a mechanism that will allow the Ukrainian military-industrial complex to be integrated into the European defense industry.
What is known about the probability of receiving missiles from the US?
The Pentagon has awarded a $253.7 million contract to Williams International to increase missile production, including for military assistance programs to Ukraine.
This contract will allow Williams International to increase rocket engine production and meet the U.S. Department of Defense's demand for Harpoon missiles, JASSM, Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM), Tomahawk and other precision strike weapons.
At the same time, DPA Purchases (DPAP) funding allocated under the Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024 and the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024 will be used to implement the contract.
These efforts will increase the production capacity of critical materials needed to protect against enemy aggression, the US Department of Defense notes.
