**EU to Boost Military Support for Ukraine**
The European Union is expected to produce around two million artillery shells in 2025. This was announced by Andrius Kubilius, the newly appointed EU Commissioner for Defense and Space.
Kubilius spoke about concerns over Europe’s ability to supply weapons to Ukraine. He said that only 20-25% of EU-supplied weapons are produced within the bloc. The rest is bought from external sources.
To increase arms production in the EU, Kubilius emphasized that European governments need to place long-term orders with defense manufacturers. Without these contracts, Europe will struggle to ramp up weapons and ammunition production for Ukraine in the coming years.
**EU Support for Ukraine**
Next year, Ukraine is set to receive around 30 billion euros from the EU. This includes funding from the European Peace Facility and frozen Russian assets. Ukrainian authorities will decide how much of this support will go towards defense.
A new mechanism is being introduced to integrate Ukraine’s defense industry into the European defense ecosystem.
**International Support for Ukraine**
The European Council has urged EU member states to enhance military aid to Ukraine. This includes faster delivery of air defense systems, ammunition, and missiles, as well as additional training and equipment for new Ukrainian brigades.
Ukraine is also receiving support from other countries. The U.S. is planning to impose additional sanctions on Russian oil by the end of the year.