Even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February last year, many NATO countries had fallen short of meeting the alliance’s ammunition-stockpile targets.
The speed of deliveries to Ukraine, where Kiev’s troops are firing 10,000 artillery shells a day, has reduced Western inventories even further. At the same time, a plan is taking shape to supply Kiev with two battalions of Leopard 2 tanks.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that Western countries had pledged 48 Leopard 2 tanks for Kiev, including a battalion of 31 older Leopard 2A4 tanks, the delivery of which is being coordinated by Poland.
On top of this, according to Pistorius, Berlin will send 14 and Lisbon another three upgraded Leopard 2A6 tanks.
The Allies also began discussing whether defense spending of 2% of GDP was sufficient for a full-scale war in neighboring Ukraine.
Stoltenberg, echoed by Pistorius, said, “I think we should move beyond the 2% threshold to consider 2% of GDP as a minimum level.”
