EU plans to supply Ukraine with €1 billion ($1.05 billion) in new ammunition received a lukewarm welcome from Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov on Wednesday.
"We need more," said Reznikov, describing the move from the European Union as "not enough." He added that Ukraine needs 1 million rounds of artillery shells, costing around €4 billion.
About 90,000 to 100,000 shells per month would be needed to "be ready to deter enemies" and start counter-offensives, he said, arriving at a meeting of EU defence ministers in Stockholm.
Reznikov was reacting to a proposal from EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to provide the bloc's member countries with an additional €1 billion to incentivize joint purchases and swift ammunition deliveries to Kiev.
The money would come in addition to the €3.6 billion in military aid the EU has provided so far.
"Let's be realistic and pragmatic," Borrell said in Stockholm, commenting on a €4-billion figure previously put forward by EU member Estonia. "Money doesn't come from the sky."
He called to focus on "practical realities" and available resources, instead of "good wishes."
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius made similar comments, stressing that funds were "not the main problem in such matters" but instead ensuring Ukraine got the right practical support.
The difficulties in providing Kiev with needed artillery shells has highlighted production challenges facing the European defence industry.
EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton called on Europe's defence companies to adapt to the high-intensity conflict in Ukraine and move to "a war economy" in media comments ahead of the meeting.
Breton said successfully ramping up defence production in the EU would be essential to allow member states to replenish their own stockpiles and continue supplying Ukraine.
"We need to do this both in parallel," he said.
Helping defence companies access private finance as well as EU funding to expand production capacity to meet increased demand is one of the commissioner's aims.
Breton identified the joint purchase by EU countries of large quantities of 155-millimetre artillery shells for Ukraine as one potential project for such a public-private financing mechanism.
The plan takes inspiration from the European Commission's purchase of Covid-19 vaccines on behalf of the bloc.
Decisions on the EU's further course of action are expected between March 20 and 24 when EU foreign ministers and leaders are scheduled to meet in Brussels.
Meanwhile, Pistorius reaffirmed Germany's commitment to send 18 Leopard 2A6 battle tanks to Ukraine by the end of the month. He said Portugal was sending three tanks.
The tanks would arrive in the country together with trained crews and could then be deployed to the theatre of operations.
Poland already delivered four Leopard-type tanks to Ukraine in February. Ten more are to follow this week.
