EU could top up fund for Ukraine arms purchases by 3.5 bln euros -official

The European Union will soon have to decide on another increase of the fund used for purchasing weapons for Ukraine, a senior EU official said on Friday, adding the next top up could amount to 3.5 billion euros.

The European Union will soon have to decide on another increase of the fund used for purchasing weapons for Ukraine, a senior EU official said on Friday, adding the next top up could amount to 3.5 billion euros. Under a plan drawn up by foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, EU states would get financial incentives worth 1 billion euros ($1.06 billion) to send more of their artillery rounds to Kyiv while another 1 billion euros would fund joint procurement of new shells.

"If there is a deal on this 2 billion euros package, resources under the EPF will be exhausted," the senior EU official said, referring to the European Peace Facility (EPF) used to fund arms for Kyiv. "It's up to the member states to decide if and when they want to operationalize this new possible 3.5 billion euros top up," he added.