Kiev was counting heavily on the promises of the European Union. Despite unlocking new financial aid of 50 billion euros, when it comes to ammunition, the count is not there. So far, only 330,000 munitions have been delivered. “I expect this figure to increase by 200,000 shells by the end of March,” which is “a little over 52% of the target” set last year, he added.

If the European Union does not keep pace, it is because the stocks are not sufficient and the industrialists are not necessarily playing along. The German, Olaf Scholz, Dutch, Mark Rutte, Estonian, Kaja Kallas, Czech, Petr Fiala, and Danish, Mette Frederiksen, leaders called on Europeans to “step up their efforts” to ensure that military support for Ukraine lasts “as long as necessary.” “We must therefore find ways to accelerate the delivery of promised artillery ammunition to Ukraine,” they wrote in a joint letter published by the Financial Times. Several European countries, including France, Italy, and Spain, are accused of not doing enough to help the Ukrainian army.

But for Guillaume Ancel, a former French officer and author of the book “Saint-Cyr, at the school of the Great Silent,” the situation can only improve: “The brilliant idea of European Commissioner [in charge of defense industry] Thierry Breton is to have launched a common initiative that consists not of relying on a few national manufacturing but to say ‘we need to create an Airbus for defense’.” The European Union hopes to reach 1.4 million shells before the end of the year, a capacity that will be increased to two million in 2025, said Commissioner Thierry Breton on Wednesday, January 31st. Certainly, far from the 7 to 8 million shells fired last year by Russia, but the quality of the weaponry can make a difference, according to Guillaume Ancel. “If we manage to provide a million high-quality shells for artillery guns that are themselves of high quality, I would say that it is the equivalent of three million shells on the other side.

But at some point, if it is too inferior in number, then it is no longer a problem of technological superiority but of quantity.” The EU is forced to accelerate the pace as all American aid is blocked in Congress.