EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell hopes that EU countries will agree on a multipronged initiative aimed at speeding up supplies and bolstering their defence industries on Monday.

Borrell said that the first part of the meeting will be devoted to the situation in Ukraine. Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, will also participate. Ministers will discuss further EU support for Ukraine.

"In the afternoon, we will hold a joint meeting of the heads of foreign affairs and defence ministers.

There is a proposal that includes three directions, for a total of 2 billion euros. Together, foreign affairs and defence (ministers) will, I hope, finish the agreement on providing ammunition to Ukraine. Without a deal, the EU will find itself in difficulties to keep on supplying arms to Kyiv," Borrell stated before the meeting of the EU Council on Foreign Affairs in Brussels.

According to him, European partners know well what ammunition Ukraine needs.

"Time is of the essence: we need to deliver more artillery ammunition, and we need to deliver faster. We must be practical: quickly, cheaply and in the necessary quantity," he added.

As reported, the EU could use the short-term instrument with €500 million (Ukr) to accelerate industrial production of the required 155 mm ammunition needed for Ukraine.

So far, EU countries have provided Ukraine with 350,000 155 mm artillery shells. Kyiv needs more of them to maintain the defence line and start the expected spring counteroffensive.