To meet the needs deriving from support to Ukraine, NATO partners today pledged to collaborate with industries
to increase the production of ammunition
.
This was stated by NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg at the end of the Alliance's Council of Defense Ministers.
"The target of dedicating 2% of GDP to defense spending must be the minimum and not the maximum," he said.
"We have started a discussion with the defense ministers that we will conclude at the Vilnius summit. But it is obvious - he added - that compared to the 2% indicated in 2014, now more needs to be done to respond to the challenges posed to our security".
According to the NATO secretary general, there is a need to do even more.
"It is important to invest at least 2% of GDP," Stoltenberg said
.
In the last eight years the trend has been growing and expenses have increased by 50 billion dollars". We must continue on this path.
Stoltenberg explained that in addition to the USA and France, Germany, Norway and other allies have also signed contracts with companies in the defense sector to increase the production of ammunition.
"Things are moving in the right direction," he stressed.
"Both existing production lines and investing in new factories are being strengthened," he added.
"The production of 155mm shells is increasing and this will allow us to satisfy both the demand of the allies and that of the Ukrainians".
For his part, the Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto
on the sidelines of the ministerial explained that "there was talk of each country's commitments on defense sector spending and some that have already reached the 2% target have proposed objectives of 3 -4%".
Crosetto recalled that "Italy is now below 2%, it has undertaken with all the governments to reach it within a date that varies according to the government and the NATO meetings: I introduced the theme of combining the commitment to 2% with the limits of the European parameters, which oblige a choice of that type to other cuts", he added.