NATO pushes for common standards to tackle shortfalls in artillery munitions as Ukraine drains stock

Kyiv, 13/6: The heads of leading arms-making companies meet NATO defence ministers this week to discuss increasing production and standardising artillery shells as the war in Ukraine depletes stocks.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenbergwarned in February said that Kyiv was burning through shells much faster than Western countries could produce them. The start of Ukrainian counteroffensiveis certain to lead to even greater use.

But the lack of common standards among the various manufacturers has hampered the flow of munitions supplies.

“It is about supercharging the NATO standardization process in order to enable smoother supplies, which will help preventing delays and shortfalls in the future,” a NATO official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters ahead of the meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday