愛污传媒

Skip to main content

EU to ramp up arms production, eyes Ukraine army training

Share
PRAGUE -

European Union ministers on Tuesday debated ways to ramp up weapons production, boost military training for the Ukrainian armed forces and inflict heavier costs on Russia, with no end in sight to a war that has ground on since February.

"We are depleting our stocks. We are providing so many capacities to Ukraine that we have to refill our stocks," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters in the Czech capital, Prague, where he is chairing two days of talks between the bloc's defense and foreign ministers.

The aim among defence ministers is to work out how best to pool military material and resources, but also to bulk purchase ammunition and weapons like air defence systems which Ukraine continues to need.

They will also discuss what role the 27-nation bloc could play in training new Ukrainian recruits on European soil, as casualties mount and deplete the army of experienced soldiers while officers who might normally provide training are tied up in battle.

Several countries already provide military training on a bilateral basis but some feel that it's important to throw the EU's combined weight behind the effort. The Netherlands highlighted new demining training that it's providing with Germany.

"It would be good to put that on a more structured basis, and to ensure that the EU collectively is doing that in a structured and organized way that can last for some time," said Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, who is also responsible for his country's defence portfolio.

Others feel that might be too unwieldy.

"It's not maybe the quickest way. I'm not so convinced," said Luxembourg's defence minister, Francois Bausch. Austria was also cool on the idea.

Later Tuesday, foreign ministers will discuss whether to impose further visa restrictions on Russians, in an effort to ramp up pressure on President Vladimir Putin as the war he launched six months ago inflicts heavy economic costs on European and world economies.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.

A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

Local Spotlight

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.