Luxembourg, which has been sending supplies to Ukraine since the start of the war, is buying weapons from open markets to ensure it can keep delivering aid as it has already depleted its relatively limited military stockpiles.
Luxembourg set up a two-person team shortly after the start of the Ukraine war that periodically combs through European and US weapons markets, The New York Times recently reported. It remains in close contact with the Ukrainian Embassy in Brussels to stay abreast of the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
To assist Ukraine, Luxembourg has so far purchased ammunition and different kinds of smaller equipment, though larger have not yet been bought, Defence Minister François Bausch explained to 100Komma7. “We do not have the necessary expertise”, he added.
For now, the small team has acquired materials worth €15 million, most of which have already been delivered.
While Luxembourg ranks highest in terms of GDP per capita among NATO members, it ranks lowest on defence spending, with less than 1% of its GDP going towards the military.
Though Luxembourg currently counts fewer than 1,000 troops, Bausch assured his country is aiming to reach NATO’s 2% spending target in the future.
(Luka Krauss | EURACTIV.com)
Source: euractiv.com
