- Ukraine is making more of its own weaponry, including six howitzers in a single month.
- That means it's on pace to make at least 72 howitzers next year, Forbes reported.
Ukraine is ramping up its domestic weapons production and is on track to manufacture 72 howitzers next year, but will struggle to have enough ammunition to use them, Forbes reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that his country had made six 2S22 Bohdana howitzers in a single month and that it knows how to increase that number.
Forbes noted that this puts it on track to make at least 72 next year.
Ukraine is currently getting its howitzers, a key artillery weapon, from at least 15 of its allies.
However, doubts have emerged over how plentiful Western support packages to Ukraine will continue to be.
Ukraine's domestic production of weapons, like the howitzers, will help to plug any gaps that emerge.
But even after maximizing its howitzer production, Ukraine will struggle to have enough ammunition for them.
Ukraine's stocks of ammo are running low and political issues have interfered with efforts to restock them, Forbes noted.
NATO has warned that the West's ammunition supplies that could be given to Ukraine are almost empty, and Ukraine has been firing thousands of rounds of artillery less a day than it wants to, because of limited supplies.
An EU official told Politico that EU countries had sent Ukraine 300,000 ammunition rounds as of last month, less than a third of what they had promised.
Ukraine and Russia are both boosting their domestic weapons production to sustain their fight: Ukraine so it can reduce its reliance on Western help, and Russia because international sanctions have hampered its ability to purchase weapons and parts from elsewhere.
The White House warned Congress on Monday that "without congressional action, by the end of the year we will run out of resources to procure more weapons and equipment for Ukraine and to provide equipment from U.S. military stocks."
It said that without that action, Russian President Vladimir Putin would "prevail."
Foreign ministers of NATO countries said last week that they will continue to support Ukraine "for as long as it takes."