Zelenskyy: Ukraine and EU will reach Russian shell production levels in 2026
The volume of artillery shell production in Ukraine and the European Union in 2026 will reach a level similar to that in the Russian Federation, and in the future the artillery track may be stronger than in the Russian Federation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.
"In 2026, we and the European Union are reaching a volume of artillery shot production that will be equal to the production of the Russian Federation. And therefore, if our partners accelerate their production a little, in the future we can be stronger than Russia in terms of artillery. This is an important track," Zelenskyy said during a meeting with journalists on Wednesday.
He noted that today there is a surplus of artillery systems that Ukraine produces.
"But there is another issue there – the issue of the 155mm caliber. That is, if you have enough systems, you cannot replace some guys with old Soviet ones and give them this gun, because the 155mm caliber is not enough for such a number. Although, of course, we are going in the right direction, there will be enough systems, the army will have the 155mm caliber," the president explained. According to him, the issue is also that there should be an opportunity to have the appropriate number of shells in parallel.
