‘Battles are fierce on the frontlines,’ but Kyiv will have to wait until March for more artillery shells

Ukrainian forces are screaming out for more artillery shells, but they will have to wait until March when they will receive around half a million rounds.

High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that they knew from the start to send 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine within one year was “very ambitious.”

The EU Diplomatic Service said, “The EU and its member states committed to deliver 1 million artillery rounds to Ukraine within one year.

“Based on the information we have received so far – once again, not all member states have already sent their input – we will have delivered 524,000 rounds, 52% of the objective, by March.”

Borrell said that there is a world shortage of ammunition and this bottlenecks the supply chain and the reasons for the delays is limited stocks and a lead time for new investment.

The EU High Representative said, “We know that the battle is fierce in the frontline, that our Ukrainian friends need urgently more ammunition and that we are far away from the goal.

“However, we also knew from the start that the objective set last year was very ambitious.”

Borrell said that there will be additional ammunition rounds to Ukraine that will take place towards the end of 2024.

Borrell added, “It is a work in progress. According to the information received from our member states, 631,000 additional ammunition rounds will be donated to Ukraine until the end of the year.”