NATO calls for common standards in push to boost defence production

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg holds a press conference on the day of a meeting of the Alliance defence ministers, in Brussels, Belgium June 14, 2023. REUTERS/Yves Herman

Brussels (Reuters) - NATO must work harder to set common standards for weapons and ammunitions, its chief said on Wednesday, as the alliance tries to boost defence production amid a Ukrainian counteroffensive likely to deplete Western military stocks even further.

Announcing a Defence Production Action Plan designed to "rapidly address shortfalls in our stocks", NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the plan also aimed to enhance the interoperability in the alliance's munitions and equipment.