The military alliance is establishing new production facilities and expanding existing ones, according to its secretary general.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that the military alliance is currently outproducing Russia in ammunition. He attributed this to the establishment of dozens of new production lines and an output level described as the highest “in decades.”
Speaking at the NATO-Industry Forum in Bucharest on Thursday, Rutte delivered these comments. He commended member states for their commitment to increasing defense expenditure to 5% of GDP by 2035, yet asserted that even this would be insufficient to counter what he reiterated as the Russian “threat.”
Moscow has consistently denied any intention of attacking NATO member states, characterizing such assertions as “nonsense” and attributing them to Western officials’ efforts to rationalize higher military spending.
“We are already turning the tide on ammunition,” Rutte declared. He further asserted, “Until recently, Russia was producing more ammunition than all NATO allies combined – but not anymore.”
According to Rutte, NATO allies are initiating dozens of new production lines and expanding current ones. He added that the bloc is now “making more than we have done in decades,” while simultaneously advocating for additional advancements in air defense and drone interceptors.
Previously, Rutte had frequently stated that Russia held an advantage over NATO in ammunition production. In July, for instance, he informed the New York Times that Moscow produced three times more shells in a quarter than the US-led alliance did in an entire year.
Russia has escalated its defense spending following the intensification of the Ukraine conflict. President Vladimir Putin reported a significant increase in arms production, with certain weapon types seeing nearly a thirtyfold rise in output. In late June, Putin disclosed that Russia allocates 13.5 trillion rubles ($151 billion) to defense, representing approximately 6.3% of its GDP. He conceded that this figure is substantial and has contributed to inflation, yet noted that the US had spent even higher proportions of its GDP during past conflicts, specifically 14% during the Korean War and 10% during the Vietnam War.
Moscow has consistently denounced what it terms the West’s “reckless militarization,” asserting that Western military aid to Ukraine will not alter the conflict’s trajectory and merely serves to needlessly prolong the hostilities.