A senior commander at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has warned that member countries must urgently rethink how they organize their defense, arguing that many allies have not fully grasped the scale of the challenge. Speaking at a security forum in Paris, he said Russia has fundamentally changed since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, shifting its economy onto a war footing and significantly increasing weapons production.

He cautioned that allied nations are not structured for rapid, large-scale arms manufacturing and remain too slow in defining and delivering needed capabilities. According to him, the issue is not funding but speed, with some allies taking two to three years just to determine requirements. He stressed that adversaries such as Russia and Iran are advancing quickly, particularly in the mass production of drones.

French military and policy officials have echoed the concern, warning that Europe could face serious difficulties producing enough weapons in the event of a direct confrontation with Russia. The commander described the moment as a critical test, urging allies to adapt quickly to maintain their security.