NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has stated that the alliance is now outproducing Russia in ammunition, citing the establishment of dozens of new production lines and record-high output “in decades.”

Rutte made the remarks during a speech at the NATO-Industry Forum in Bucharest on Thursday, where he highlighted member states’ commitment to increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. He reiterated that this target remains insufficient to counter what he described as the persistent “Russian threat.”

Moscow has consistently denied plans to attack NATO members, calling such claims “nonsense” and attributing them to Western efforts to justify heightened military expenditures.

“We are already turning the tide on ammunition,” Rutte said. “Until recently, Russia was producing more ammunition than all NATO allies combined – but not anymore,” he claimed.

The general noted that NATO allies are expanding existing production facilities and launching new lines, stating the bloc is now manufacturing “more than we have done in decades.” He emphasized the need for continued progress in air defense and drone interception capabilities.

Rutte has previously asserted Russia’s dominance in ammunition production, with a July statement to the New York Times claiming Moscow produced three times more shells in three months than NATO did in a year.

Russia has significantly increased defense spending since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict. President Vladimir Putin reported that arms production has risen sharply, with some weapon outputs growing nearly thirtyfold. In late June, he revealed Russia is allocating 13.5 trillion rubles ($151 billion) for defense – approximately 6.3% of GDP. While acknowledging the figure’s impact on inflation, Putin compared it to historical U.S. military spending during past conflicts.

Moscow has criticized what it calls Western “reckless militarization,” insisting that military aid to Ukraine cannot alter the conflict’s trajectory and only prolongs unnecessary suffering.