The European Union has informed its member states that the promise to supply Ukraine with a million shells by March 2024 is unlikely to be fulfilled. So far, Ukraine has received about 30% of the promised amount of ammunition, according to Bloomberg Independent Kyiv and Ukrainian Pravda.

The European External Action Service told member state diplomats this week that the delivery likely won’t be completed until March next year, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.

An investigation by the Kyiv Independent and its partners showed that the bloc’s plan to increase the production of shells to strengthen Ukraine’s artillery capabilities is hindered by the countries’ bureaucracy and protectionism.

Ukraine’s need for munitions is becoming more acute as Russia increases its defense budget for 2024 and has reportedly managed to obtain more than 1 million shells from North Korea, while political infighting in Washington causes cuts in US military support for Kyiv, according to Bloomberg.

Internal struggle since the beginning of the project to supply a million shells

By the way, the EU’s plan to supply Ukraine with a million artillery shells got off to a very bad start. It was blocked for some time as member states argued over how much contracts and money to produce these munitions would be given to manufacturers in the European Union.

EU foreign ministers approved the innovative package on March 20. The most urgent part of the plan envisages the allocation of 1 billion euros for compensation to EU countries that send artillery shells needed by Kyiv from their reserves to Ukraine.

But the second element of the plan – a joint purchase of another 1 billion euros worth of ammunition – has been delayed due to disagreements over which companies in certain countries are eligible for the contracts.