During a visit by the EU's Political and Security Committee, a standing committee with ambassadors from EU countries, the European Defense Agency (EDA) signed five framework contracts for the procurement of 155mm ammunition to support Ukraine, the EDA announced. Three contracts with the same purpose had already been concluded previously.
For legal reasons and to protect commercially sensitive information, the EDA did not want to disclose the names of the contractors or the standard prices at this time, nor did it want to comment on ongoing negotiations.
According to the EDA, the ammunition to be procured is intended for the most common self-propelled howitzers that EU member states have sent to Ukraine: France's Caesar, Poland's Krab, Germany's self-propelled howitzer 2000 and the Slovakian Zuzana.
“We are taking another step forward in our three-tier ammunition initiative. Member States can now place orders within eight framework contracts,” said Josep Borrell, EU High Representative and Head of the European Defense Agency. "Time is running out. Putin shows no signs of slowing down in his aggression against the Ukrainian people. Therefore, our military support for the defense of Ukraine must continue,” Borell continued.
“We are now offering member states the opportunity to place orders with industry through the EDA to support Ukraine or replenish their own national stocks. It is now up to the member states to make full use of these opportunities,” added EDA CEO Jiří Šedivý.
The framework contracts were signed as part of the three-stage concept for supplying more artillery ammunition and rockets to Ukraine, which the EU Council decided in March 2023, writes the EDA. Under this three-tiered approach, the EU supports Member States in supplying artillery ammunition and missiles from national stocks, in pooling demand and joint procurement of 155mm ammunition, and in expanding the production capacity of the European defense industry.
With the “Act in Support of Ammunition Production” (ASAP) of July 13th, the EU provided a total of 540 million euros to support the production of artillery ammunition in Europe (ESuTreported). Depending on the purpose, up to 40 percent of the costs incurred can be covered to build up production capacity.
gwh / editors
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