EU: agreement on ammunition deliveries to Ukraine validated at EU27 Summit

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola speaks at a press conference at the EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, March 23, 2023. AP - Geert Vanden Wijngaert

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At the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the European Union on Thursday 23 March 2023, the 27 member countries officially endorse the agreement adopted on Monday 20 March at ministerial level on the supply of ammunition to Ukraine. An agreement qualified as "historic" by the Elysee.

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With our special correspondent in Brussels, Juliette Gheerbrant

Historic among other things by the speed of the decision, for such a sensitive subject, only five weeks have passed since the proposal of Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. As a reminder, the agreement provides for European countries to provide Kiev with one million artillery shells taken from their stocks. To compensate, the commission releases one billion euros. And another billion will be spent on joint purchases of ammunition. With good news for European industry, purchases will be made from EU and Norwegian manufacturers.

But a downside, even if the decisions go exceptionally quickly, the Commission should place the orders in May and it will then take months for these new stocks to arrive.

► READ ALSO: European industry struggling to manufacture shells claimed by Ukraine

The establishment of an ad hoc tribunal in The Hague

The 27 therefore endorsed this text, but they also reaffirmed their desire to see Russia's crimes tried, the ICC's mandate is a good thing, but with regard to the crime of aggression against a State, the 27 endorsed the creation of an ad hoc tribunal in The Hague, a proposal by the Commission.

Another debate, that of sanctions against Russia: how to fight against their circumvention, in particular by examining the trade that continues with Moscow via certain third countries. Even before discussing a new sanctions package, the 27 must cooperate to close the loopholes.

► Read also: Missiles, tanks and guns... who are Ukraine's biggest military suppliers?

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  • European Union
  • Ukraine
  • Russia