EU will only supply half of promised shells to Ukraine by March, Borrell says

The European Union will fall far short of its target of sending one million artillery shells to Ukraine by March, it said on Wednesday, adding that just over half that number would be delivered by the deadline.

Speaking after an EU defence ministers' meeting in Brussels, the bloc's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said around 52% of the promised rounds would be delivered by March, with the original target to be reached by the end of the year.

The target was set in response to Ukraine's need for 155-mm artillery shells, which have become a key element in its fight against Russia's 2022 invasion as the conflict descends into an intense war of attrition.

"There was some initial inertia, but then once things get set in motion, they can speed up," Borrell said by way of explanation as to why the EU will not meet its own deadline.

According to the EU's foreign...