EU plans to double artillery shell shipments to Ukraine
Europe is poised to double its shipment of large-caliber artillery shells to Ukraine this year, according to EURACTIV. The announcement came from Robert Brieger, Chairman of the EU Military Committee, following a Brussels meeting with EU defense officials. The target is to deliver two million large-caliber munitions to Ukraine in the current year, effectively doubling last year's supply. The EU is urging member states to boost production, leveraging contracts sourced from the European Defense Agency. New EU initiatives are also in play to enhance collaboration with Ukraine’s defense sector.
Brieger highlighted the need for a greater naval presence to counter maritime threats posed by the covert operations of Russia's fleet: "We must boost our existing fleet to protect our waters effectively. With three maritime operations—two in the northwest Indian Ocean and one in the Mediterranean—we are frankly resource-constrained," he stated.
Earlier in May, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala confirmed during a joint press conference with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Prague, that the Czech Republic has supplied Ukraine with half a million large-caliber artillery shells since the beginning of the year. He also provided assurances that his country would continue supporting Kyiv with artillery munitions.