EU leaders will meet in Paris to discuss a proposal to buy ammunition from countries outside the region, giving momentum to an idea to help procure much-needed military equipment for Ukraine.
According to Bloomberg, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala will detail a plan on Monday to purchase 800,000 rounds from several countries, as detailed by people familiar with preparations for the gathering. France and other nations have resisted using EU funds to buy ammo from outside the bloc, with Paris urging that money be spent on developing the EU’s military production capacity.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the extraordinary summit in a show of support for Ukraine and to combat the narrative that Russia would eventually win the war, said one source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Russia is already making advances on the battlefield as Ukraine faces shortages of ammunition and troops after months of stalemate and the absence of US aid.