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Western military powers have run out of ammunition to give Ukraine the ability to defend itself against a full-scale Russian invasion. Photo/Illustration
WARSAW – English and NATO has warned that Western military powers have run out of ammunition to give Ukraine the ability to defend itself against a full-scale Russian invasion.
Admiral Rob Bauer, NATO’s most senior military official, told the Warsaw Security Forum that the bottom was now in sight. He said the government and defense manufacturers must now increase production at a much higher tempo.
Ukraine fires thousands of bullets every day and most of them come from NATO.
Bauer, who chairs NATO’s Military Committee, said decades of underinvestment meant NATO countries were starting to supply weapons to Ukraine when their ammunition arsenals were half-full or even empty.
“We need large volumes. The timely and sufficient economy that we have built together in 30 years in liberal countries can be used in many ways – but not for the armed forces while the war is going on,” he said as quoted by the BBC, Wednesday ( 4/10/2023).
British Defense Minister James Heappey told the forum that Western military supplies were “looking a little thin” and urged NATO allies to spend 2% of their national wealth on defence, as they had promised.
“If this is not the time – when there is war in Europe – to spend 2% on defense, then when will it be?” he asked.
He also said that the “just-in-time” model will definitely not work when it comes to being ready for tomorrow’s war.
“We can’t stop just because our supplies look low,” Heappey said.
