Brussels, March 21 (QNA) – The European Union have agreed on a two-billion-euro ($2.14 billion) plan providing Ukraine with one million artillery shells in the next 12 months, during a meeting between EU defense and foreign ministers in Brussels.

The European Union is “taking a key step” towards providing Ukraine with more artillery ammunition,” top EU diplomat Josep Borrell tweeted, announcing the deal.

Initial plans foresee that a total of $2.1 billion is to be made available for ammunition support for Kiev.

EU countries are to immediately deliver artillery ammunition from their own existing stocks to Ukraine as the first part of the agreement.

Additionally, EU member states are to jointly purchase more 155 mm calibre shells within the next six months to support Ukraine in the longer term, according to the agreement published Monday.

Eighteen countries including Germany and non-EU member Norway have signed up to the two-year program to purchase 155 mm artillery shells, a press release from the European Defense Agency (EDA) said.

Another seven-year project from the EDA is to focus on other supplies of ammunition.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov previously said that his country would need to be supplied with about 90,000 to 100,000 shells per month to “be ready to deter enemies” and start a counteroffensive.

The plan backed on Monday is to come in addition to the 3.6 billion euro in military aid the EU has provided so far.

Later on Monday, the United States announced that it is providing Ukraine with $350 million dollars in new military aid, in a package including mainly ammunition, but also mine clearance equipment, fuel tankers and thermal imaging systems, according to the US Department of Defense. (QNA)

Source: Qatar News Agency