The European Union has made progress in talks to provide 40 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine

European Union member states have made progress on providing up to 40 billion euros worth of new military aid to Ukraine, just days before a leaders' summit this week.

After the foreign ministers' meeting on Monday, Kaja Kallas, the EU's top foreign affairs official, said the initiative had broad political support and that details were being discussed.

Since last month, EU member states have been negotiating a military aid package worth at least 20 billion euros. The program aims to deliver 2 million artillery rounds this year, as well as air defense systems, deep precision strike missiles, drones and other weapons. It will also seek to strengthen Ukraine's army organization and military industry.

The initiative is seen as a key way to deliver essential military supplies to Kiev this year as it seeks to negotiate a US-brokered peace deal with Russia.

The plan opens up both in-kind and cash contributions to interested EU member states, encouraging each member state to make contributions commensurate with the size of its economy. People familiar with the matter said a majority of member states were in favor of moving toward a deal.

However, some countries, including France and Italy, have asked for more time and more details, according to anonymous people familiar with the matter cited by Bloomberg. Hungary, for its part, has long opposed any assistance to Ukraine, military or otherwise.

Another diplomat said the plan was also a way to put pressure on countries that have so far contributed less to Ukraine than those in northern and Eastern Europe.

Eu leaders will discuss plans at a summit in Brussels on Thursday, but a final decision is unlikely this week, people familiar with the matter said.