Media: Slovenia to join EU ammunition procurement program

Slovenia's Defense Minister Marjan Sarec will sign an agreement with the European Defense Agency (EDA) on participating in a joint purchase of ammunition for Ukraine, RTV Slovenija reported on April 20.

"The signing of the project agreement will not result in financial obligations for the Republic of Slovenia, as it only establishes a framework for further cooperation," Slovenia's defense ministry said, as cited by the news organization.

Twenty-three EU member states and Norway have so far agreed to participate in the joint purchase of ammunition for Ukraine under the EDA project.

Although the European Union approved the procurement of one million artillery rounds for Ukraine back on March 20, the member states still argue about some plan's details.

One of the main points of contention pertains to the level of restrictions on funding for EU manufacturers and to what extent countries such as the U.S. and U.K. should be involved in procurement. According to Politico, France has been pushing to keep the funds within the EU.

The program consists of three stages, namely, the transfer of existing artillery rounds from the arsenals of EU countries, joint purchases of ammunition, and the production of the remaining artillery rounds.

At a meeting with EU defense ministers in Stockholm on March 8, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that the main priorities for Ukraine were more air defense systems and a million rounds of ammunition.

Politico: EU joint plan to purchase ammunition for Ukraine hits roadblock over contract disagreements

The European Union’s proposed plan to supply Ukraine with one million rounds of ammunition over the next year stalled during meetings with EU ambassadors on April 5, Politico reported, citing several unnamed diplomats familiar with the negotiations.

Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk