Rutte: Russia produces munitions at unsustainable rate compared to NATO

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that Russia produces as many shells in three months as NATO does in an entire year. 

In an interview with Bloomberg TV, he emphasized the unsustainability of this disparity, warning that the alliance would not be able to defend itself in four or five years if the production imbalance persists, per Caliber.Az.

Rutte explained, “As NATO, we produce in a whole year the amount of munitions, which are extremely important, that Russia produces in three months. That is not viable.” He added that increasing production and defence spending would require participation from countries like the United States, particularly since China’s military production is five to six times higher than the US’s.

The NATO chief described the current production rates as unsustainable, stating that in a few years, the alliance will be unable to secure its own defence. He urged the US to boost defence spending, especially in light of China’s much larger output in the military sector.

Earlier, Rutte warned that a Russian victory over Ukraine would cost the West trillions, asserting that the alliance's efforts to contain Moscow would be far more expensive than supporting Ukraine. He also spoke at length to security experts in Brussels, stating that Russia was engaged in a war with NATO — no longer covert, but an open confrontation. He accused Moscow of carrying out cyberattacks, hacking, and sabotage at NATO facilities, as well as destabilizing EU borders and interfering in elections. Rutte called for a shift in Europe’s political mindset toward “military thinking” in the face of these threats.

In response to these growing concerns, NATO and the European Union acknowledged their inability to rebuild stockpiles of weapons and ammunition, with production capacity proving insufficient. The rising costs of military supplies were also noted, with Admiral Rob Bauer, former chairman of NATO’s Military Committee, revealing that the price of a 155-millimeter artillery shell has quadrupled since the conflict in Ukraine began.

By Tamilla Hasanova