As the European Union grapples with mounting pressure to fulfil its commitment of supplying one million artillery shells to Ukraine by March, France finds itself compelled to reassess its long-standing policy of exclusively sourcing arms within the EU.
A senior French diplomat revealed that France is prepared to adapt its approach if the EU falls short of the March target, marking a significant departure from its traditional stance favouring European arms procurement.
They told POLITICO: “We need European preference because if we don’t encourage companies [to produce], we won’t get out of the cycle. But we know how to be flexible to help Ukraine.”
The EU currently trails behind, having dispatched only about a third of the pledged one million shells.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has acknowledged the challenge of meeting the ambitious target.
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Benedikta von Seherr-Thoß, Managing Director of the European External Action Service, remains optimistic about fulfilling the commitment.
She said that even if the goal isn’t met by March, Ukraine will eventually receive the promised ammunition.
The urgency to supply substantial ammunition to Ukraine is straining European stockpiles and shell production, unprepared for the scale of artillery battles in the embattled country.
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Initially, Brussels proposed a plan to bolster ammunition shipments through existing stockpiles and a €1 billion joint procurement initiative by the European Defence Agency. However, internal disagreements emerged, with France opposing the inclusion of ammunition produced outside the EU.
Calls for the EU to explore external sources for ammunition are gaining momentum. Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs has been vocal about considering non-EU suppliers, underscoring the urgency of providing Ukraine with essential resources.
An anonymous EU diplomat reinforced this perspective, emphasssing that the primary objective is to support Ukraine’s defence, regardless of the origin of the weapons. They said: “For Ukraine, it doesn’t really matter. So that could absolutely be a question for the future.”
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