The European Union (EU) is considering negotiating a contract to purchase bullets for Ukraine, a move that would have seemed unlikely a year ago. With widespread concerns about Ukraine's
dwindling ammunition supplies, the urgency of the matter has come to the forefront. The proposal was first floated by Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas at an EU leaders' summit earlier this month, and top EU officials have since indicated their support.
However, there are several obstacles to overcome before the proposal can become a reality. The EU needs to find consensus among every country on the subject, which is always a challenging task in Brussels. The bloc currently lacks a formal mechanism to jointly negotiate weapons contracts, and the proposal needs to be discussed and agreed upon by defense ministers before being presented at the next EU leaders' summit in late March.
The plan is to negotiate a single contract for all interested EU countries, driving down the per-bullet price and allowing companies to boost production to meet wartime needs. The ammunition would first go to Ukraine, with later orders potentially going to EU countries needing to refill their own stockpiles.
The eagerness to implement the proposal highlights the significant ideological shift taking place at the EU, with the peace project increasingly moving into the military realm. The bloc is already partially reimbursing countries for weapons donations to Kyiv, and Borrell has inserted himself into contentious subjects like potential fighter jet donations.
The proposal could help boost the capacity of the European industry to produce more ammunition quickly, a key factor in times of war. It is a concept that has been in the works for months, with EU officials comparing it to the bloc-wide contract to purchase vaccines during the coronavirus pandemic.
In conclusion, negotiating a contract to purchase bullets for Ukraine would be a significant step for the EU, demonstrating the bloc's increasing involvement in military matters. While the proposal has received support from top EU officials, it still needs to be discussed and agreed upon by all EU countries before becoming a reality. Photo by I, Arthurrh, Wikimedia commons.