BERLIN, February 18. /TASS/. The European Union is planning to supply additional weapons and at least 1.5 million artillery shells to Kiev this year, according to a report by the DPA news agency, which cites a memorandum prepared by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and sent to EU member-states.
EU foreign ministers are expected to discuss the plan in Brussels on February 24. The proposal includes pledges from EU members to provide Kiev with air defense systems, drones, cruise missiles, and training programs for Ukrainian servicemen, among other means of support.
This initiative aims to accelerate and consolidate the efforts of the EU and its member states to address Ukraine's most urgent short-term needs, the agency quoted extracts from the document.
The EEAS suggests distributing the costs according to the economic capacities of each EU country, specifying which arms and ammunition will be supplied by each state, or if cash donations will be offered instead. As a result, Germany is anticipated to make the largest contribution, accounting for about a quarter of the necessary funds. Plans are in place to raise approximately 880 million euros through the EU, utilizing revenues from frozen Russian assets.
The DPA reports that it remains unclear whether individual countries, such as Hungary, will support this initiative.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that the supply of new weapons to Kiev will not alter the situation on the frontline, but will only prolong the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has emphasized that any shipments containing weapons for Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets by Russia.