High-ranking officials of both NATO and the Russian Federation have now admitted the two entities are at war, the former saying it outright, the latter saying NATO countries with supply lines of weapons to Kyiv could be “legitimate military targets”.

“The idea that we’re going to send in offensive equipment and have planes and tanks and trains going in with American pilots and American crews – just understand, don’t kid yourself, no matter what y’all say, that’s called World War III,” said President Joe Biden in March of 2022.

As far as tanks they are already being delivered, and the tank pledge drive among NATO nations has reached 324 vehicles. As for planes, on Saturday El Pais quoted the Ukrainian Air Force chief that they expect to receive two battalions, or 24 planes, consisting of Lockheed Martin F-16s, as well as the option of French Rafales and Swedish Gripens, in the coming weeks.

On Sunday Admiral Rob Bauer, the head of NATO’s Military Committee said that NATO is “ready” for a direct confrontation with Russia, adding NATO countries should create a “war economy” to funnel domestic GDP into war preparations for both Ukraine and a potential war with Russia.

“We have to increase defense industry production,” he told Portuguese news. “This could mean prioritizing certain raw materials, certain production capacities needed for the defense industry rather than the civilian one. Those priorities should be discussed about, partially, a war economy in peacetime”.

“The US is taking measures to ramp up arms production to keep arming, including a Pentagon plan to increase artillery ammunition production by 500% over the next two years,” reports Dave DeCamp at Antiwar.