NATO intends to guarantee production of weapons, ammunition for further assistance to Ukraine, replenishment of its own reserves – Stoltenberg

BRUSSELS. Oct 11 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The defense Ministers of the NATO member countries will make decisions regarding the further planning of the production of ammunition and weapons stocks in order not only to continue to provide assistance to Ukraine, but also to replenish their own.

This was announced by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a press conference in Brussels on Tuesday on the eve of the meeting of NATO defense ministers to be held in Brussels on October 12-13.

“The javelins, the air defence systems, ammunition has been taken from existing stocks. So by doing that, they have reduced their stocks. But that has been the right thing to do, because it is important for all of us, that Ukraine wins the battle, the war against the invading Russian forces. I expect ministers to make decisions at the ministerial meeting tomorrow and the day after tomorrow on how to use the NATO defence planning process to agree on the more ambitious targets,” he said.

Stoltenberg said that the dialogue with the industry for the production of weapons has been going on for some time. “We have already of course started the dialogue with the industry and with the different Allies on how to ramp up production and refill or replenish our stocks. We had a meeting of the NATO Armament Directors a couple of weeks ago here in NATO. So this is an ongoing work, but when all the ministers meet tomorrow, of course, that provides an excellent opportunity to take stock of what we have achieved, how far we have been able to move on ramping up production. But also then to make new decisions on how to further ensure that we are not only digging into existing stocks to provide support to Ukraine, but actually also able to ramp up production. And we need to ramp up production of ammunitions and weapons to both ensure the deterrence and defence of our own Allies, NATO Allies, but also to have enough to continue for the long haul to provide support to Ukraine,” he said.

According to him, Ukraine needs a wide range of different systems. “That is, of course, a lot of lethal weapons, artillery, armoured vehicles, air defence systems and many other anti-tank weapons. But also, of course, non-lethal support: fuel and winter clothing, and communications systems and a lot of different types of support. when we meet tomorrow in the U.S.-led Contact Group for Ukraine but also at the NATO Defence Ministerial Meeting, with Defence Minister Reznikov, we have the best possible opportunity to go into details to discuss different lists and match these lists of needs from Ukraine with what NATO Allies and partners are able to provide,” Stoltenberg added.