Brussels will conduct an audit of weapons supplied to Ukraine by EU member states since the start of Russia's special military operation in light of claims that a number of member countries have sent fewer than agree upon weapons to Kiev, the Financial Times reported, citing three EU diplomats familiar with the matter.
The audit has been launched by the EU's External Action Service (EEAS) that plans to present the findings to a summit of EU leaders on February 1.
The EEAS has been facing resistance in obtaining complete data for the audit, as member states, despite requests, are reluctant to provide comprehensive information, according to an EU diplomat.
The need to audit the delivery of weapons to Kiev came on the heels of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's demand to compile and evaluate contributions from EU members.
“The arms deliveries for Ukraine planned so far by the majority of EU member states are by all means too small...We [also] need an overview of what concrete contribution our European partners will make to support Ukraine this year," Scholz told the press.
Germany pledged the most EU aid to Ukraine worth over €17bln by October 31, 2023, based on research by the German-based Kiel Institute for The World Economy.
Moscow has repeatedly expressed concerns about arms supplies to Ukraine by sending a note to NATO members. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that any cargo entering Ukrainian territory believed to be carrying weapons would be considered a legitimate target for Russia.
Moreover, Lavrov accused NATO of direct involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. He claimed that the United States and NATO supply weapons and conduct training activities in various countries, including Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and elsewhere. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov emphasized that the US-led military bloc members are increasingly and directly engaged in the conflict, with diversified support for Kiev.
"NATO members are increasingly and directly involved in this conflict. Their support for Kiev is now much more diversified than a few months ago. This reflects Washington’s intentional policy of escalating the conflict, obediently pursued by the Europeans. They are playing with fire. The risks are soaring," Ryabkov cautioned.
The Kremlin has taken a firm stance against supplying Ukraine with Western weapons, asserting that it would have a negative impact and would not contribute to the success of future Russian-Ukrainian negotiations.