(ANSA-AFP) - BRUSSELS, MAR 20 - European Union ministers agreed Monday on a two-billion-euro plan to raid their own arsenals and jointly purchase desperately needed artillery shells for Ukraine. Meeting in Brussels, defence and foreign ministers backed an initiative that aims to provide Ukraine with one million shells in the next 12 months as well as replenish EU stocks. Kyiv has complained that its forces are having to ration firepower as Russia's year-long invasion has turned into a grinding war of attrition. Ukraine has told the EU it wants 350,000 shells a month to help its troops hold back Moscow's onslaught and allow them to launch fresh counter-offensives later in the year. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said the "starting signal" had been given and promised Ukraine could count on getting a large amount of ammunition this year.

(ANSA-AFP).