Defense company president says it will take Europe 10 years to increase arms stockpiles

The head of Germany’s largest defense company, Rheinmetall, told the BBC that it would take 10 years for Europe to be fully ready to defend itself.

Armin Papelger said ammunition stocks are currently “empty.”

He made the comments during a visit by Prime Minister Olaf Scholz to the groundbreaking ceremony for a major new arms manufacturing plant in Lower Saxony.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also attended.

The comments came a day after U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump’s comments sparked fresh alarm in Europe.

The front-runner for the Republican nomination once told world leaders that they would not protect NATO members who don’t pay their dues and would even “encourage” aggressors to “do whatever they want.” said, said.

Rheinmetall has announced that it will invest more than $300m (£274m) in the new facility. It is expected to eventually produce 200,000 shells per year.

Papelger said it would take a “long time” to prepare for “an aggressor who wants to fight NATO.”

“Three or four years is fine, but you need 10 years to really prepare,” he said.

“We have to produce 1.5 million rounds.” [of ammunition] He said a huge amount of European ammunition was sent to Ukraine, leaving little in European stocks.

“As long as there is a war, we have to help Ukraine, but after that we have to help Ukraine. [will] It will take at least 5 years, but 10 years to be completely filled. [ammunition stocks] Go up,” he said.

Scholz initially declined to say whether he was concerned about Trump’s comments, saying he was “absolutely convinced” that NATO was “essential” to the United States, Canada and European countries.

Late Tuesday, he posted on X (formerly Twitter) calling Trump’s comments “irresponsible and dangerous.”

Asked by the BBC if he thought Europe needed to be prepared to deal alone if the US withdrew its aid, Mr Frederiksen said Europe had to be ready “for whatever it takes”. Stated. He added that “Russia is becoming increasingly aggressive” is proof that Europe needs to scale up.

“We have to pick up speed. That’s why I’m here today,” she said.

Almost two years have passed since Chancellor Scholz declared the Zeitenwende, a turning point in Germany’s foreign and defense policy, in response to President Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

There was a widespread recognition that the policy of “transformation through trade” with Russia had failed.

Allies expected Germany, Europe’s largest economy, to take an increasingly active role in security and to let down its traditional guard.

However, by 2023, Germany would be the majority of NATO members and was expected to miss the 2% spending target.

Berlin is expected to reach 2% in 2024, but that will come from a one-time fund.

According to Dr. Claudia Major of the German Institute for International Security Studies, Europe has further increased its investment since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

“But if we are very honest, at the moment we know that in a conventional conflict, Europeans cannot defend themselves without the support of the United States,” she added. .

She said that while “much has been done” since Zeitenwende, it is still not enough to address the full range of global security challenges.

Papelger agreed that Zeitenwende is “more than just words” and believes that trust between the government and defense contractors has improved.

Rheinmetall’s stock price has been steadily rising since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Germany’s past, in which rearmament led to devastating conflicts in the 20th century, weighs heavily on this debate.

No one knows what will happen in this year’s US presidential election, but Mr. Trump’s recent remarks are said to be a wake-up call for all of Europe, but they are far from the first.