In view of the dwindling ammunition stocks in the depots of the NATO countries, the alliance in Brussels is alarmed. According to information from diplomatic circles on Monday, the topic is expected to be discussed at the meeting of the defense ministers of the allied countries on Tuesday and Wednesday. According to security circles, Germany alone has a gap of 20 billion euros compared to NATO requirements.
“If Europe had to fight Russia, some countries would run out of ammunition within days,” a European diplomat told Reuters. That is why the alliance is currently taking stock, said a NATO representative who declined to be named.
There are individual targets for all member states in the procurement of ammunition, which were largely not met even before the Russian offensive war against Ukraine. Stocks were now further reduced during the war. It is therefore expected that Allianz will now want to increase the targets.
No reorders started
“It was a lost year,” said Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), chairman of the Defense Committee in the German Bundestag. With the decision of the German federal government to supply the Ukraine with the anti-aircraft tank Gepard or the Panzerhaubitze 2000 from the stock of the Bundeswehr, more should have been ordered immediately. There was initially no comment from the Ministry of Defense in Berlin.
It is estimated that the Ukrainian armed forces fire up to 10,000 rounds per day. How much ammunition is still in the depots of the NATO countries is top secret. According to NATO officials, the biggest failures are the Cheetah air defense system and the Patriot air defense system, which are widely used by the Ukrainian armed forces.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
