Since Russia launched its military campaign in Ukraine last year, Kiev has received support from countries such as the US, Germany and the UK.
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| Ukrainian forces fire a D-30 122mm howitzer in Kherson, June 2023. (Source: AP) |
On June 19, the European Commission (EC) introduced a "temporary emergency measure" forcing arms manufacturers in the European Union (EU) to prioritize ammunition production orders for Ukraine.
The measure has reportedly been criticised by some member states and private companies, who fear it will give the EC too much power to regulate the ammunition market. They also argue that it could facilitate the breach of trade secrets or the disclosure of confidential information.
An unnamed EC spokesperson allayed these concerns, saying that “the EC has long-standing experience in handling such information in the context of other procedures and with the necessary safeguards in place.”
In early May, the EC announced that it would allocate 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) to produce ammunition for Kiev. The Commission also plans to spend another 500 million euros to expand ammunition production in Europe.
On the same day, Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Strategic Industries Sergiy Boyev said that the country is negotiating with arms manufacturers from Western countries such as Germany, Italy and France to increase the production of weapons, including drones, and may sign contracts in the coming months.
Since Russia launched its military campaign in Ukraine last year, Kiev has received support from countries such as the US, Germany and the UK.
"We are discussing these countries in great detail. And we will definitely sign agreements within the next few months," Boyev said on the sidelines of the Paris Air Show.
In May, Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky said his country was working with British conglomerate BAE Systems to set up a facility in the Eastern European country to manufacture and repair weapons ranging from tanks to artillery. However, no deal has been signed yet.
In another development, at a joint press conference in Berlin with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on June 19, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance's arsenals are empty and need to be restored soon.
Meanwhile, retired US military officer Daniel Davis said that NATO currently does not have enough weapons for Ukraine to successfully counterattack.
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