NATO is not ready for a protracted war due to lack of resilience and resources
NATO does not currently have the resilience to fight a long war. This was stated by one of the Alliance's leading naval leaders in a commentary to Bloomberg, warning of serious risks in the event of a protracted armed confrontation.
According to him, the main problem is the lack of ammunition, ships, weapons systems and industrial capacities capable of quickly replenishing losses. The current model of defence planning has been based on short-term conflicts for decades, while the war in Ukraine has shown the reality of long-term resource depletion.
The military chief stressed that Allies should move to a regime of continuous arms production and invest significantly more in fleets, logistics and training. Without this, NATO risks losing its ability to deter the enemy in the event of a large-scale escalation.
According to experts, most member states are only now beginning to increase their defence budgets to at least 2 per cent of GDP, which is recognised as the minimum required standard. At the same time, it can take years to rebuild stockpiles and industrial chains.
The warning comes amid Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine and rising global tensions, forcing NATO to reconsider its approach to collective defence and preparedness for protracted conflicts.
Photo: Bloomberg
