The European Union is raising $ 1.5 billion for emergency financing for Ukraine to provide it with artillery shells from abroad to strengthen the front line against Russia.
The initiator of this initiative is the Czech Republic, which operates in accordance with the hopeless situation in the US Congress on assistance, as well as delays in European production.
Prague has taken this initiative because the European capitals are arguing for the continuation of the main mechanism of military support from Kiev by the EU.
Officials familiar with discussions say that countries need European partners to help allocate $ 1.5 billion for the purchase of ammunition organized by Prague since the start of a full -scale Russian invasion of Russia in February 2022.
Some EU countries have already contributed to this case, officials who are familiar with the Czech initiative say.
EU representatives did not agree on the purchase of ammunition outside the block at a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday, and plan to reconcile the rules of new funds to the EU leaders summit on March 21.
Germany insists that its conditional contribution of approximately 1.25 billion euros is adjusted to reflect its significant bilateral military assistance to Ukraine, which will be 7 billion euros this year.
France and Greece insist that the extended EPF should buy weapons and ammunition only from EU and Norway producers, which will not allow to finance the Czech plan or ammunition from the United States.
Ukrainian defenders feel a shortage of artillery shells, which is directly reflected in the situation at the front. Recently, Ukrainian defenders had to retreat from Avdiivka because of a very difficult situation around the city.
Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba noted that Kyiv would not give up Avdiivka if the Allies had provided artillery shells on time.
