Borrell supports joint arms purchase for Ukraine

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called on EU members to jointly buy arms for Ukraine, but stressed that this measure alone will not meet Kiev's immediate need for more arms. Borrell said in the presence of Estonian Prime Minister Kaya Kalas at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday: "We fully agree with the proposal of the Estonian Prime Minister (regarding the joint arms purchase for Ukraine) and we are working on it."

Kalas called on the European Union to order ammunition for Ukraine from some of its members and to encourage European defense companies to increase their production capacities. In response to this proposal, Borrell emphasized that the joint arms purchase would only work in the medium term and that supporters of Ukraine should help Kiev from their current stocks for the time being.

However, he also said, "The ammunition shortage should be resolved within a few weeks." EU diplomats and officials said they are considering the possibility of a joint purchase of 155mm artillery shells for Ukraine. The EU foreign ministers want to discuss this on Monday. The Estonian Prime Minister declared at the Munich Security Conference that Russia fires more artillery shells every day than Europe produces in a month.