The ministers of defense and foreign affairs of the EU agreed on a plan for the joint procurement of ammunition. It envisages providing Ukraine with 1 million shells over the next 12 months.

 This is reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to the Prime Minister of Estonia Kaya Kallas and the Head of Diplomacy of the European Union Josep Borrell.

 "I offered the EU members to jointly purchase a million shells for Ukraine. I am pleased that the ministers of foreign affairs and defense of the bloc have approved this initiative," wrote the Prime Minister of Estonia.

 Kallas noted that such a decision will help to build up the European defense industry and increase security.

 In addition, Borrell noted that 18 countries have joined the project of the European Defense Agency to collect and place orders in industry.

 "We are taking a key step towards fulfilling our promises to provide Ukraine with more artillery ammunition," he added.

 Borrell said that the plan will be implemented in three directions. First, 1 billion euros will be allocated from the European Peace Fund to compensate member states' supplies. The same amount will be directed to the joint procurement of ammunition. In addition, EU countries will place orders to increase the production capacity of defense plants.

 It should be noted that Hungary has declared that it will not participate in the EU's joint financing of the purchase of ammunition for their transfer to Ukraine.

 In addition, the EU is also discussing the allocation of 500 million euros for the production of shells for the needs of Ukraine.