German Chancellor Urges ‘Mass Production’ of European Arms

European nations must “move from manufacturing to mass production of armaments,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on February 12 at the groundbreaking ceremony for Rheinmetall’s new munitions factory in Unterluess, Germany.

“This is urgently necessary because the painful reality is that we do not live in times of peace,” he said, referring to Russia’s war on Ukraine. “Those who want peace must be able to successfully deter aggressors.”

Germany is Ukraine’s second-largest provider of weapons. Scholz said the outcome of the war will determine “if our peace order, our rules-based world has a future.”

Shell production: Rheinmetall’s new factory is scheduled to begin production in 2025 and will eventually reach a capacity of 200,000 shells per year.

This year, Rheinmetall aims to produce 500,000 shells, more than seven times the annual production before the Ukraine war.

European army: The Trumpet has warned for decades that a unified, militaristic European superpower led by Germany will rise in the end time and play a major role in world events. Russia’s war on Ukraine is accelerating this trend.

Learn more: Read our Trends article “Why the Trumpet Watches Europe’s Push Toward a Unified Military.”