BRUSELAS, 20 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, has urged on Monday the member states of the bloc to agree on a joint purchase plan to expedite the “fast” shipment of ammunition to Ukraine, insisting on the need for the forces Ukrainians to have a stable supply of ammunition to match the capabilities of the Russian Army.

In statements upon his arrival at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, the head of European diplomacy stressed that the continuous supply of 155-mm caliber ammunition is the “most important issue” right now for the Ukrainian Army. In this sense, he has advanced that the European Commission and the European Defense Agency are already working on a proposal so that the Twenty-seven can provide this material.

“It is the most urgent issue and if we fail with this, the result of the war is at risk,” warned Borrell, who has argued that the debate will start this Monday but it has to be substantiated at the level of NATO and the meeting of ministers. of Defense in early March in Sweden.

“Today we are going to talk about it, but the ones who have to make the decisions are the defense ministers,” the High Representative assured. On the table is the initiative for joint arms purchases proposed by Estonia so that the EU uses its joint capacity to provide ammunition quickly and sustainably to the Ukrainian Army, following the example of the acquisition of vaccines during the pandemic.

In previous statements, the Estonian Foreign Minister, Urmas Reinsalu, has indicated that the plan consists of an endowment of 4,000 million euros to acquire around one million rounds of 155-millimeter artillery projectiles. According to the proposal document, to which Europa Press has had access, the initiative would be carried out within the framework of the European Mechanism for Peace and like-minded partners could be invited to join this initiative.

“We must make an extraordinary effort for the rapid decision-making and implementation of the initiative, as soon as possible, already in 2023: this is what the seriousness of the situation in Ukraine requires,” the proposal states.

“Ukraine runs out of ammunition. More weapons means accelerating the end of the genocidal war,” Reinsalu said, insisting that 2023 must be the year to end the war if Ukraine has enough weapons and ammunition.

Despite the fact that the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dimitro Kuleba, has not been able to attend the meeting of foreign ministers as planned, he has indicated his support for the plan in a message on Twitter. “I thank Estonia for proposing the direct joint purchase of arms and ammunition. We strongly support the initiative and urge it to be launched,” he said.

For his part, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, has shown his support for the joint purchase plan, stressing that the Twenty-seven must express a “clear commitment to the Ukrainian victory.” “We have long discussed tanks and now planes, we have to compromise on what Ukraine needs to get back its territory,” he argued.

Spain has also opened up to the proposal and according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, the plan “does not sound bad” to Spain, insisting that it can contribute with its “powerful” defense industry and “highly technological”.