Zelenskyy: EU delivers only a third of one million artillery shells promised to Ukraine

Kyiv, Ukraine (Svidomi) — The EU has supplied Ukraine with only 30% of the promised one million artillery shells, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy states at a joint press conference with Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov.

Zelenskyy was asked about the supply of shells to Ukraine from the EU. The journalist noted that "half of the shells have already arrived", as some media outlets report.

The president replied: "As for Europe and that percentage you mentioned, it's not quite accurate. Out of the one million shells promised to us by the European Union, not 50% arrived, but 30%. Unfortunately."

In March 2023, EU member states pledged to increase supplies of artillery shells to Ukraine as troops on the front faced a shortage. The countries agreed on a plan to supply ammunition from their stockpiles and jointly order the production of shells. By the end of March 2024, the EU would deliver one million shells.

In November 2023, Bloomberg wrote that the EU was behind its plans to provide Ukraine with one million artillery shells by the previously set deadline of March 1, 2024. By that time, EU countries would only amass approximately 30% of the planned amount.

At the same time, according to Ukrainian intelligence, the Russians plan to produce 2.7 million shells this year. In addition, Russia has already received 1.5 million 122 mm and 152 mm shells from the DPRK, half of which malfunction.