Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said that Europe must accelerate the production of ammunition and weapons in order not to fall behind Russia’s pace. He warned that failure to do so would have negative consequences for Europe. Euronews reports, writes UNN.
I am actually in favour of a wartime footing when it comes to production in the defence sector. That is exactly how the Russian Federation is operating now. We cannot ignore this fact
Russia switched to wartime production in the defence sector even before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. According to forecasts, in 2026 it will spend 7.5% of its gross domestic product on the armed forces.
According to a recent report by Estonian intelligence, in 2025 Russia produced approximately seven million artillery, mortar, tank and missile munitions. Russian forces are currently using approximately 10,000–15,000 munitions daily, continuing their aggression against Ukraine.
By contrast, Europe’s defence industry suffered from insufficient funding and fragmentation for decades.
Russia is outproducing the EU in terms of ammunition production. According to a leaked report on Europe’s defence readiness, the 27 EU member states and Norway are expected to produce only two million 150 mm artillery shells this year.
The efforts of European countries and NATO members to rearm have delivered the largest annual increase in defence spending since the Cold War. Despite this, total defence spending by EU member states in 2025 was estimated at €418 billion, or 2.2% of the European Union’s combined GDP, the report says.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said that it was “time” for Europe to prepare to defend itself independently by significantly increasing production in the defence sector.
He warned that failure to do so would be a “costly” mistake for Europeans, adding: “This is one of the shortcomings, but in the future it will also have a negative impact on us and future generations.”
As the publication notes, Poland is among the countries that spend the largest share of GDP on defence capabilities. According to US representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker, the country allocates 4.7% of its GDP to core defence needs.