EU to Conduct Audit Weapons Provided to Ukraine

16 January, 2024 Javelin and NLAW ATGMs in Ukraine. March 2022. Photo credits: AFU

Brussels is conducting an audit of how many weapons the EU member states have transferred to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale war. Sources of the Financial Times reported that the results of this check should be presented before the summit of EU leaders on February 1. According to one of the sources, the audit will rely on information provided by member countries.

At the same time, the diplomat adds that some countries oppose this because they do not want to provide complete data. The FT notes that the decision to conduct the audit was approved after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz demanded last week to count and compare the military supplies of EU countries to Ukraine.

Illustrative photo on the topic: Military aid

"Arms supplies to Ukraine, now planned by most EU member states, are at least too small. Therefore, I call on our allies in the European Union to also intensify their efforts in favor of Ukraine," the German leader said at the time.

The audit comes amid attempts by Brussels and Washington to find a political consensus that would allow for the approval of financial assistance packages to Ukraine totaling about £110 billion, journalists add. Recently, the German chancellor recalled that Berlin planned to provide 8 billion euros for military assistance to Ukraine during 2024. The German chancellor believes that Europe should demonstrate that it is "closely connected with Ukraine, it is on the side of freedom, international law and European values."

Olaf Scholz next to the Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft gun with which the Ukrainian military is trained.

Germany, August 2022. Photo credits: Vertical

He stressed that Germany is now "the strongest supporter of Ukraine after the United States." "However, Germany's contribution alone will not be enough to ensure Ukraine's security," he added.

Recall that recently it became known that the bulk of weapons produced by the defense industry in Bulgaria go to Ukraine.