EU's Kallas to propose providing Ukraine with 2 million rounds of ammunition at leaders' summit

BRUSSELS, March 19 (Reuters) - European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday that she will present a proposal to European leaders gathering in Brussels on Thursday to provide Ukraine with two million rounds of large-calibre artillery ammunition, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

The bloc's diplomatic service last week circulated a discussion paper saying the EU should be prepared to go as far as doubling its military aid to Ukraine this year to 40 billion euros, but multiple countries made clear they were not ready to back that plan.

Now Kallas is pushing for one part of the plan to be agreed as a first step, writing in a letter addressed to EU foreign and defence ministers that two million rounds, valued at 5 billion euros, "is available on the market and could be delivered in 2025."

"Ukraine is relying on us to act now," she wrote, adding: "I intend to present this proposal to European leaders tomorrow at the European Council meeting and stress the importance of supporting this objective."