Lithuania will transfer 155mm ammunition in the new military aid package to Ukraine.

Arvydas Anušauskas, Latvian Defense Minister, announced this.

The new military aid package also includes vehicles and military rations.

“The total cost of military assistance that Lithuania provides to Ukraine will soon reach €450 million,” Arvydas Anušauskas said.

Ammunition for 155-mm artillery is one of the most urgent needs of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.

Currently, the European Union plans to increase ammunition production to supply Ukraine.

Mairead McGuinness, Commissioner for Financial Services, Financial Stability and Capital Markets Union, announced this.

“The Commission is ready to mobilize its regulatory clout and the available resources as appropriate, to support the defense industry to ramp up,” the Commissioner emphasized.

They also urged to speed up the transfer of ammunition to Ukraine from the available stocks. McGuinness added that, if necessary, the EU will mobilize the budget to help Ukraine.

At the beginning of March, most of the European Union countries agreed to a developed plan for the rapid provision of artillery ammunition to Ukraine.

This plan comprises three stages:

• The first step provides for the immediate increase in the delivery of ammunition to Ukraine, in particular the 155 mm artillery shells.
• The second step covers a joint purchase of 155 mm ammunition by the European Defense Agency (EDA) to fill the gaps in the stocks of EU countries and ensure the long-term supply for Ukraine.
• The third step is intended to secure the long-term increase in European ammunition production capacities to consider the changed security situation.

The emergency assistance in the first step must be performed according to an already formed scheme: EU countries supply ammunition to Ukraine, and in return, they receive monetary compensation from the European Peace Fund (EPF). The European Union will also help arms manufacturers to increase production capacity, in particular, at the expense of investments in new plants.