The assistance measure will finance the provision to the Ukrainian Armed Forces of 155-mm-calibre artillery rounds and, if requested, missiles which will be jointly procured by EU member states from the European defence industry.

Today’s decision is another major step to deliver more ammunition to Ukraine. The Ukrainian Armed Forces need substantial amounts of ammunition to defend the Ukrainian people and territory. They need it fast. Together with the previous decision to swiftly provide ammunition from existing stocks, we are committing €2 billion to this purpose, bringing the total EU military support to Ukraine to €5.6 billion.

Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

The measure will support joint procurement of ammunition and missiles from economic operators established in the EU or Norway, and producing these ammunition and missiles in the EU or Norway. The supply chains of these operators may include operators established or having their production outside of the EU or Norway. The measure will also cover deliveries of ammunition and missiles which have undergone an important stage of their manufacturing in the EU or Norway which consists of final assembly.

To be eligible for EPF reimbursement, procurement contracts or purchase orders will need to be concluded before 30 September 2023 in the context of an existing European Defence Agency (EDA) project or through complementary joint acquisition projectsled by a member state.

Today’s decision implements track 2 of the Council agreement of 20 March 2023 on a three-track approach intended to speed up the delivery and joint procurement of artillery ammunition with a view to providing one million rounds of artillery ammunition to Ukraine within twelve months following the Council agreement.

It was preceded by the approval of another support package under the EPF worth €1 billion that allowed the EU to reimburse member states for ground-to-ground and artillery ammunition as well as missiles donated to Ukraine from existing stocks or from the reprioritisation of existing orders during the period 9 February to 31 May 2023 (track 1). Track 3 of the ammunition package, in the form of an Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP), has been adopted by the European Commission on 3 May 2023.

The Council will receive regular updates on the implementation of the assistance measure in order to monitor progress in the implementation of the Council agreement on the three-track approach.

Together with the previous packages of military support, the assistance measure adopted today brings the total EU contribution for Ukraine to support the delivery of military equipment under the EPF to €5.6 billion.

On top of that, the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) continues to enhance the military capability of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, reinforced with two EPF assistance measures worth €61 million to finance the provision of equipment necessary for the training.

These efforts prove once more that the EU remains steadfast in its support for the Ukrainian military in defending the country against the illegal Russian aggression.

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