Russia Produces More Ammunition in Three Months Than NATO Does in a Year, States Rutte

Russia produces more ammunition in three months than NATO does in an entire year, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on February 13 in Brussels ahead of NATO Ministers of Defense meetings.

“We will discuss today the defence industrial base and how to produce more. We are not producing enough. And this is a collective problem we have, from the US up to and including Türkiye, and including the whole European Union, Norway, UK, we have fantastic defence industries, but we are not producing enough,” Rutte said.

The alliance’s Secretary General emphasized that NATO does not produce enough weapons compared to Moscow.

“No, I wanted to say Russia is producing in three months in ammunition, what the whole of the Alliance is producing in the year, and this is simply not sustainable. We have to ramp up the defense industry production,” NATO Secretary General stressed.

Rutte added that increasing defense spending will also be on the agenda of today’s ministers’ meeting.

“We have to spend more, not only because the US expects that, because they expect Europe to take its and pay its fair share, but also we have to spend more because we know the threat coming from Russia and from other adversaries is increasing,” he stated.

On February 12, US President Donald Trump said that he does not consider Ukraine’s NATO membership practical, but stated that Washington will continue providing aid.