Ukraine military aid: The tragedy of war knows no bounds and the Russo-Ukraine struggle has left profound wounds on both sides. The war left death and destruction in its wake, not just on the warring countries but the West as well. And now, a sense of wariness is prevailing. The West is pulling its hands out of the war.
The West has come to a painful realisation. The resources and energy fueling this seemingly endless war have been wasted. European countries now seem reluctant in further extending any hand of support to Ukraine. As a result, the once united bloc of the West has now begun to fray.
EU divided on Ukraine military aid
The members of the European Union are now failing to reach an agreement on where to buy shells for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This will leave the war-torn Ukraine, desperate for help in the lurch.
Defence News shares the details of the differences between the alliances.
According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany is to deliver one-quarter of the anticipated one million shells for Ukraine’s Armed Forces. However, this is insufficient; additional manufacturers are required, and France insists that purchases be made from European firms.
Poland, on the other hand, opposes such limits and insists on the ability to choose ammunition suppliers.
The European Union is funded by the Peace Facility, which was established in 2021. The Facility’s budget has been enhanced to €8 billion for the period ending February 24, 2027. This fund is responsible for compensating countries for weaponry delivered to Ukraine. The EU enacted a rule on November 15, 2022, allowing cash to be spent on reparations for weapons of non-European origin.
Detailing the decision, an EU spokesperson told Defense News, “EU member states have agreed on a series of rules, particularly when the items are on the Common Military List of the European Union, which limit their origin to EU, member states and a number of non-EU countries, including the U.S.”
Other non-EU countries include Norway, Israel, Canada, the United Kingdom, and South Korea. The allowed weapons list includes a wide range of military equipment (cannons, howitzers, mortars, ATGMs, missiles, and so on), as well as artillery ammunition.
However, in March 2023, the European Union Council issued recommendations for Ukraine to purchase 155-mm shells. This recommendation demands for ammunition to be purchased solely within the EU or in Norway. According to the sources of the publication in the European Union, this is merely a recommendation, but the quantities spent on ammunition purchases are significant, and it is therefore preferable that these funds be received by European producers.
As previously reported, EU foreign ministers decided to send 1 million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine by the end of March. Previously, the EU recognised 15 firms in 11 countries capable of producing 155mm artillery rounds.
The Western reality check
As the situation on the Ukrainian grounds is growing dire, Kyiv is looking for help from its foreign partners. But, countries have started to pull back their support, leaving Ukraine to face its challenges alone.
If you remember, in this context, a few months back Germany sent old, rusty Leopard tanks to Ukraine which came as a bitter blow. The decision suggested that Germany was unwilling to provide meaningful assistance to Kyiv. Moreover, the French government also considered giving Zelensky’s regime its Leclerc battle tanks which Macron knew that Ukrainian forces were too naive to handle. It wasn’t actually a gift to Ukraine but to Russia.
Read More: German Chancellor goes rogue against Biden’s pressure to help Ukraine
Recently, Ukraine’s all weather ally, the US too was seen skittish about aiding Ukraine. The West is now coming to the reality that “Zelensky has become shamelessly greedy” and is demanding more and more money. European countries have started to realise that they must stop funding the war that they have no obligation to. And the recent disagreement in the bloc over the 1 million shells military aid to Ukraine is nothing but a blueprint of the West detaching their strings to the war.
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