NATO to replenish arms stocks sent to Ukraine: Chief
NATO is working closely with the defense industry so as to replenish the bloc's arms stocks, which have been reduced due to the frenzied arms supplies to Ukraine.
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The Swedish shoulder-launched weapon system pictured above seems to play a central role in Ukraine's war.
The alliance is closely collaborating with the defense sector to restock its arsenal, which has been depleted as a result of the supply of armaments to Ukraine by the bloc, according to the NATO Secretary-General.
"NATO is working closely with defense industry in order to replenish stocks for the military equipment the allies have sent to Ukraine," Stoltenberg said on the sidelines of a forum organized by US magazine Foreign Policy, adding that NATO countries were also asking defense companies to ramp up their production.
The Secretary-General added that the need for additional help for Ukraine was still urgent, and it was crucial to make sure that the bloc had adequate weapons and other equipment to stockpile and support Kiev militarily.
Germany, one of the NATO countries actively selling weapons to Ukraine, hit its cap on arms supplies to Kiev last week, according to German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht.
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In an announcement by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on September 13, a meeting is set to take place this week of senior national armaments directors from allied countries to lay out long-term plans for supplying Ukraine and rebuilding their own stock of arms.
"They will discuss how our defense industrial bases can best equip Ukraine's future forces with the capabilities that they need," Austin stated at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany at a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group, which includes 50 countries in favor of flaring up the war in Ukraine.
The Pentagon's arms acquisition chief Bill LaPlante announced on Friday the date of the meeting to be on September 28 in Brussels, telling reporters that the objective is to determine "how we can continue to work together to ramp up production of key capabilities and resolve supply chain issues and increase interoperability and interchangeability of our systems."
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The non-involvement claims yesterday made by the United States in the Ukraine war are untenable, especially in light of the Biden administration's "bravado" and the top brass regarding their involvement in organizing Ukraine's counteroffensive, according to Anatoly Antonov, the Russian Ambassador to the United States, to Sputnik.
He stated that "the blatant bravado of the US government," including generals, who assert that the Pentagon played a direct role in developing Ukraine's policy has "seriously alarmed" Russia.
"Given this, Washington's statements that the United States stands aside and is not a party to the conflict sound absolutely ridiculous and unfounded," Antonov said.
In the same context, Antonov warned that if Ukraine acquires longer-range missiles or strikes Russian territory, the United States will be forced into a military conflict with Russia.
"Of particular concern is the fact that for many months Ukraine has been soliciting the supply of ATACAMS operational-tactical missiles, which are designed to strike targets at a distance of up to 300 km [187 miles]. If Kiev obtains such weapons, large Russian cities, as well as industrial and transport infrastructure facilities will fall into the area of possible destruction," Antonov said.
