NATO needs to produce over 2 mln shells per year to deter Russia – Polish president

VILNIUS – NATO countries must produce more than 2 million artillery shells per year to deter Russia from possible attacks, Polish President Andrzej Duda said in Vilnius on Thursday.

Russia will reach this annual production capacity shortly, according to Duda. 

"In the near future, Russia will be able to produce more than 2 million shells per year. The whole of Europe, along with the United States, must join forces to produce more shells (...). This is necessary for us to remain safe," Duda, who was in Vilnius for the Three Seas Initiative Summit in Vilnius, said in an interview with the public broadcaster LRT.  

"If NATO really wants to deter potential attacks, it must produce over 2 million shells per year," he added.

The Polish president underscored that the current ammunition stockpiles in NATO countries are insufficient.

Duda also said that NATO countries today need a tough defense-boosting policy towards Russia. 

"Countering the Russian imperialism, which is being resurrected today, also requires a tough policy of ramping up defense in the West. This is the most important task today in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries, including us in Central Europe," the president said.

"I believe that by implementing it and by supporting Ukraine, we can defend ourselves against Russian imperialism in this peaceful way," he added.

Thierry Breton, the EU's internal market commissioner, said during his visit to Tallinn in January that the bloc would have the capacity to produce at least 1.3 million shells by the end of 2024.