Western allies need to “ramp up” arms production in the coming months to ensure Ukraine is kept fully supplied in its war against Russia, NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has said.
Mr Stoltenberg said the ongoing crisis was consuming an “enormous amount” of munitions, amid signs that President Vladimir Putin was digging in for the “long haul”.
He also said NATO allies needed to maintain their own stockpiles of weapons as well as continuing to supply the government in Kyiv with the armaments it needed.
He told BBC Radio 4’s The World This Weekend: “For the artillery, we need an enormous amount of ammunition, we need spare parts, we need maintenance.
“This is a huge undertaking. We need to ramp up production, and that is exactly what the NATO allies are doing.
“It is a core responsibility for NATO to ensure that we have the stocks, the supplies, the weapons in place to ensure our own deterrence and defence, but also to be able to continue to provide support to Ukraine for the long haul.”
Mr Stoltenberg also said that while the Ukrainians had enjoyed the upper hand in the fighting in recent weeks, there were indications the Russians were regrouping for a renewed offensive.
“Russia has shown no sign of giving up its overall goal of taking control over Ukraine,” he said.
“The Ukrainian forces have had the momentum for several months but we also know that Russia has mobilised many more forces. Many of them are now training.
“All that indicates that they are prepared to continue the war and also potentially try to launch a new offensive.”
