The member states of the European Union have agreed to supply Ukraine with one million artillery shells, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said on Monday on the sidelines of a meeting with EU colleagues in Brussels.

“We have reached a political consensus to send one million 155 mm shells to Ukraine,” he told reporters, adding that the shells would be sent within 12 months.

“There are still many, many details that need to be (resolved), but the most important thing for me is that we complete these negotiations, and that shows me one thing: if there’s a will, there’s a way,” he added.

2 billion euros of ammunition for Ukraine

The EU on Monday approved the allocation of 2 billion euros for the purchase and delivery of artillery ammunition to Ukraine, several European diplomatic sources told AFP.

Thus, EU foreign ministers approved a three-stage action plan to provide Ukrainian forces with at least one million 155-mm shells and replenish strategic stocks in EU countries, some of which are close to exhaustion.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, who took part in the meeting of his colleagues from the EU via video conference, welcomed the agreement, adding that it will “strengthen Ukraine’s capabilities on the battlefield.”

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed the information: “Today (Monday) we will sign the relevant documents. Our goal should be to send a significant amount of ammunition to Ukraine by the end of this year.”

Shells, the most important necessity in a war of attrition

Ukraine has said several times recently that the supply of 155mm shells is a critical necessity as it finds itself locked in a war of attrition with invading Russian forces, with both sides firing thousands of artillery shells each day.

Ukrainian and Western leaders have warned in recent weeks that Kyiv’s military is using up shells faster than its allies can produce them, prompting a new push for ammunition supplies and a search for ways to speed up production.

A joint munitions procurement initiative would be an important step towards EU integration, as defense procurement has largely been the prerogative of national governments. The project will be coordinated by the European Defense Agency of the EU.

EU officials say the initiative should lead to larger one-off orders for arms firms, encouraging them to invest in increased capacity.