EU Ambassadors to Discuss Purchase of Munitions for Ukraine Again, with Chance for Agreement

EU ambassadors will try again on 3 May to agree on approaches to the joint purchase of ammunition for Ukraine, discussing an option that should be acceptable to France and which could end disputes.

As Polish news outlet RMF FM reports, European diplomat, speaking to a journalist, said that a solution that should be acceptable to France had been worked out, and the question was whether other member states would agree to it.

In particular, this allegedly involves a partial concession to Germany on the origin of weapons components.

Paris is known to want the entire supply chain to be tied to EU countries, which would be very beneficial for the French defence industry. However, the German defence industry imports some essential components from the UK, which is no longer a member of the EU. If the approach insisted on by France were to be adopted, these companies would not be able to bid for the contract.

Poland intends to insist that the decision taken ensures that Ukraine receives the necessary ammunition as soon as possible.

Some officials had previously suggested that an agreement would be reached in mid-April, but these hopes proved to be in vain.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has expressed his disappointment that the implementation of this important EU decision is being hampered.