The Power Within: The Kyiv Independent’s first-ever magazine. Be among the first to get it.

pre-order now
Skip to content
Edit post

Bloomberg: EU members may agree to pool ammunition purchases for Ukraine in March

by The Kyiv Independent news desk February 19, 2023 6:51 PM 1 min read
This audio is created with AI assistance

European Union members may agree to combine their ammunition purchases in a move to bolster Ukraine's firepower, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 19.

The proposal, which was put forward by Estonia and is estimated to cost €4 billion ($4.3 billion), won tentative approval from Romania and the Netherlands.

The EU foreign ministers are set to review the proposal when they meet in Brussels on Feb. 20, with a final decision expected at the leaders' summit in March.

French President Emmanuel Macron is also considering joint ammunition purchases as part of his call to accelerate weapons deliveries to Kyiv, according to an aide, as reported by Bloomberg.

Earlier in the day, the European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell called upon the bloc's members to step up their military support for Ukraine, saying that "a lot of applause" is not helpful without actions.

"(President Volodymyr) Zelensky and the Ukrainians get a lot of applause, but not enough ammunition," Borrell said. "It's a paradox. They need less applause and more weapons."

Critics argue that allies’ reluctance to supply F-16, Typhoon and Dassault fighter jets and long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine will prevent Kyiv from launching a counteroffensive and liberating the rest of Ukrainian territory. Ukraine’s lack of advanced aircraft and missiles will likely prolong Russia’s war of aggression and result in thousands of deaths.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has promised to provide Ukraine with GLSDB missiles but they are expected to arrive in nine months, which may be too late.

Editorial: Arming Ukraine won’t escalate war. Reluctance to do so will

News Feed

8:06 AM  (Updated: )

Zelensky visits South Africa but cuts trip short after mass Russian strike.

"We count on South Africa’s meaningful participation in the International Coalition for the return of thousands of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. We will also certainly strengthen our cultural and educational ties," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
5:30 AM

Trump says he may meet Putin 'shortly' after May Middle East visit.

Despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations, Trump and Putin have yet to have direct contact, communicating only through their officials. Trump's last in-person encounter with his Russian counterpart was during the 2018 Helsinki Summit during the U.S. president's first term.
8:08 PM

Ukrainians react to US proposal of recognizing Crimea as Russian.

The U.S. media outlet Axios reported on April 23 that the U.S. President Donald Trump administration's final proposal for ending the Russia-Ukraine war included the U.S. de jure recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea and de facto recognizing its control of other occupied Ukrainian territories. We asked Kyiv residents for their reactions to the U.S. proposal.
7:21 PM  (Updated: )

Trump says 'nobody is asking' Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian.

"Nobody is asking (President Volodymyr) Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?" U.S. President Donald Trump wrote.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.