As long as it takes, as much as possible: These are the two promises that the EU has made to Ukraine in the war against Russia. But it cannot keep them - EUrope is (de)laying (down) its arms.
This was already evident in January, when EU foreign policy chief Borrell had to deliver a revelation: the promised one million artillery shells are only arriving in Ukraine several months late, if at all.
The warehouses are empty and production cannot keep up.
Now comes the next cold shower: the EU Europeans are also lagging behind in terms of air defence. The German government has already announced that it will supply Ukraine with another Patriot system.
However, most other member states are finding it difficult. The stocks are empty, the coveted Patriots are needed for their own national defence.
Poland has therefore cancelled the delivery of further systems to Ukraine. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in Warsaw that his country does not currently have the means to do so. They need the weapons themselves.
This increases the pressure on Greece and Spain. In contrast to Poland, these two countries are far away from the theatre of war in Ukraine. They could do without their Patriot systems without jeopardising their own security, EU diplomats in Brussels believe.
However, the supply of weapons is a national decision. Brussels cannot force Athens and Madrid to do so. It is therefore doubtful that the EU will be able to deliver the seven systems requested by Kiev.
It is likely that only two or three countries will follow Germany's example, according to a meeting of foreign and defence ministers in Luxembourg. There were no promises, Kiev must continue to wait.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had previously admitted that there are problems. At a crisis meeting in Brussels, Stoltenberg said that some allies would probably have to access weapons that are actually reserved for alliance defence.
As a result, some NATO countries would hardly be able to defend themselves in an emergency. Germany is one of them - and now stands alone with its ‘generous’ delivery of a Patriot to Ukraine...