The impasse concerns a EUR 1 billion initiative for EU states to jointly buy 155mm artillery shells for Ukraine in European factories, Poland’s money.pl website reported on Friday.
In Europe, this type of ammunition is made by Poland, which is the main producer, as well as Germany and France, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
However, Germany sources its production to factories in the UK, which is no longer an EU member.
Meanwhile, France has demanded that the bloc only finance deliveries of ammunition made in the EU, according to officials.
"They want a 100% EU supply chain," one diplomat told the Euronews outlet, regretting what was described as "never-ending French amendments."
The plan requires unanimity in the 27-member EU and so France’s opposition has impeded the final deal, money.pl reported.
‘It's a disgrace’
Member states are waiting for an updated text of the deal from Sweden, an EU diplomat told the PAP news agency.
Sweden currently holds the rotating EU presidency, and so has “the mandate to hash out disagreements at the Council of the EU,” according to the Politico news service.
The bloc’s member countries are hoping Sweden will “rescue the plan,” while France maintains its opposition, which is “directed mainly against Germany and its ammunition factories in Britain,” the EU diplomat said.
He added that “the war continues, Ukraine is defending itself and deliveries must be made fast,” yet “reaching an agreement with France is proving totally impossible,” and so “the deal is stuck.”
“It’s a disgrace,” the diplomat told PAP.
In March, EU leaders pledged to provide Ukraine with 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition over the next 12 months, news outlets reported at the time.
Under the plan, member countries are already supplying Ukraine with shells from existing stocks, which is set to cost EUR 1 billion, according to officials.
However, due to resistance from France, there is no agreement yet on the second part of the plan, worth another EUR 1 billion, to jointly buy munitions for Ukraine, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
Friday is day 429 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, money.pl, Euronews, Politico