EU leaders endorse joint ammo purchases for Ukraine

European Union leaders endorsed a plan Thursday for sending Ukraine 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition within the next 12 months to help the country counter Russia's invasion forces.

EU foreign and defense ministers approved the plan for a fast-track purchasing procedure earlier this week, and the leaders of the bloc's 27 member nations gave it their political blessing at a summit in Brussels Thursday.

"Taking into account the security and defense interests of all member states, the European Council welcomes the agreement … to deliver ground-to-ground and artillery ammunition to Ukraine and, if requested, missiles," the meeting's conclusions on Ukraine read.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked leaders for the initiative earlier during a video call. According to a diplomat with direct knowledge of the conversation, Zelenskyy spoke from a moving...