Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) EU leaders have agreed to supply Ukraine with ammunition to help the country defend against Russian aggression.
The EU Council concluded at the meeting in Brussels on Thursday that the move will protect the security and defense interests of bloc members, according to DW reporting.
The Council pointed out that that the bloc is “to deliver ground-to-ground and artillery ammunition to Ukraine and if requested, missiles.”
EU Council President Charles Michel stated “the EU supports Ukraine in its relentless quest for freedom” and added, “we stand with Ukraine as long as it takes.”
According to the plan that Estonia proposed last month, the EU is to provide Ukraine with 1 million artillery shells over the next year. The plan is modeled after joint vaccine purchasing during the coronavirus pandemic.
Objections to the plan
Hungary has announced it would not take part in the ammunition supply, but would not prevent other bloc members from implementing it. Bulgaria also announced it would not take part, but “will support European diplomatic efforts to restore peace” in Ukraine.
UN Secretary-General AntĂłnio Guterres attended the summit in Brussels and called on the EU to lead the fight against global warming.
“We very much count on the European Union to lead the transformations that are necessary in order to be able to put back on track the 2030 agenda,” he stated.
Guterres expressed the belief that “we are close to the tipping point” and need “dramatic action,” stressing that the UN counts “on the leadership of the EU in this regard.”
He warned that many parts of the world are facing “more hunger, more poverty, less education, fewer health services… and it is clear that our international financial system is not fit for purpose to deal with such a huge challenge.”
The summit in Brussels will end later today, with EU leaders discussing the bloc’s response to the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which offers subsidies worth US$ 369 billion to the green sector.
Earlier this month, the EC noted that the IRA is similar to the EU Green Deal as both aim to attract investments, stimulate economic growth, and fight against climate change.
