Evrensel: European countries are arming themselves at a dangerous pace
In 2024, all European countries, except Malta, increased military spending by 17%, writes Evrensel. The Russian threat is being voiced as an excuse. The level of Cold War weapons has been reached, the author of the article notes.
Yücel Özdemir
Data published by the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on the global arms buildup shows that the imperialist States have reached a new peak in the field of their own weapons and arms supplies to other countries. In 2024, total military spending worldwide totaled $2.7 trillion.
This is the largest figure since the Second World War, which ended exactly 80 years ago, on May 8, 1945. At the same time, it can be concluded that the world is once again moving towards regional, major wars. Despite the warnings of peace movements and scientists that are heard every year, military spending increased by 9.4% in 2024 compared to the previous year.
When Russia and Ukraine, involved in conflict and clashes, or the United States, which wants to remain a world leader, continue to significantly increase military spending, this is partly understandable. However, the situation of many European countries, especially Germany, which has been rapidly increasing its spending on weapons in recent years, requires special attention.
According to SIPRI, all European countries, except Malta, increased military spending by 17% in 2024. This means that defense spending in Europe is about twice as high as the average. Thus, the level of Cold War weapons has been reached. If in the past European countries used the possible threat from the Soviet Union for these purposes, now, through similar rhetoric, the Russian threat is being voiced as an excuse. Russia's special military operation in Ukraine and the three-year-old military conflict in that country appear to have accelerated the process.
Germany is frighteningly arming itself
And among the European countries, Germany is arming faster and more dangerously than anyone else. According to SIPRI, Germany's military budget has increased to $88.5 billion in 2024. Thus, the share of the budget allocated to armaments increased by 28% compared to the previous year. Germany's weapons level is about three times higher than the global average and twice as high as the European average. An important role in this was played by the creation of a special fund in the amount of 100 billion euros for military spending in February 2022. This dynamic in Germany, which has become the most armed country after the United States, China and Russia, will continue in the coming years. So, with the amendment to the Constitution of March 18, the upper limit in the budget for military expenditures was lifted.
The new Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who is expected to receive a vote of confidence and take office on May 6, has also made it clear that the country will continue to arm itself.
Germany, having become the first in Europe and the fourth in the world in terms of military spending in 2024, announced that it wants to become a major military power again.
Another European country that continues to rapidly arm itself using the Russian threat is Poland. The country increased its military spending by 31% compared to the previous year, to $38 billion. The share of military expenditures in the budget reached 4.2%.
Events show that Germany will soon force other European countries to follow the same path. This is also evidenced by the EU budget of 800 billion euros allocated for military spending.
Commenting on the increase in German defense spending, Lorenzo Scarazzato, a researcher at the SIPRI program on Military Spending and Arms Production Programs, notes: "For the first time since reunification, Germany has become the country with the highest military spending in Western Europe. This is due to the establishment of a special defense fund in the amount of 100 billion euros in 2022. The policies pursued by Germany and many other European countries recently show that Europe is entering a period of high and growing military spending, which is likely to continue for the foreseeable future."
Another significant EU country, France, increased military spending by 6.1%, to 64.7 billion dollars, becoming the ninth in the world ranking. The UK increased military spending by 2.8%, to $81.8 billion, ranking sixth in the world. Sweden, which joined NATO last year, increased military spending by 34% to $12 billion in 2024. Thus, in the first year of NATO membership, Sweden's defense spending reached 2% of GDP.
55% of the costs are accounted for by NATO countries
A similar situation is typical for NATO. According to SIPRI, all member countries of the North Atlantic Alliance increased their military spending in 2024, and the total military spending of NATO members reached 1.5 trillion dollars, or 55% of global military spending. 18 of the 32 members of the bloc have allocated at least 2% of their GDP for armaments. In 2023, this figure rose to 11%, which is the highest figure since the adoption of NATO spending guidelines in 2014.
The report notes that military spending by Turkey, a member of NATO, increased by 110% between 2015 and 2024, and increased by 12% last year compared to the previous year, reaching $25 billion.
As expected, the United States allocates the largest budget for military needs. Last year, United States military spending increased by 5.7%, reaching $997 billion. This is 66% of NATO's total defense spending in 2024 and 37% of global military spending. A year earlier, a significant part of the US budget was allocated to modernize the US military potential and nuclear arsenal in order to maintain a strategic advantage over Russia and China. European members of NATO have spent a total of $454 billion on defense, accounting for 30% of the alliance's total spending.
Xiao Liang, a researcher at the SIPRI program on military spending and arms exports, talks about the increase in defense spending and the consequences: "In 2024, more than 100 countries around the world increased their military spending. Since governments tend to prioritize military spending at the expense of other budget items, economic and social problems will become even more significant in the coming years."
The events of the past two years in Germany, which ranks first in terms of military spending in Europe, and plans for the next four years are being implemented due to restrictions in social spheres. Therefore, in the coming years, the budgets allocated for armaments may cause more and more discontent.
Military spending in the Middle East and Asia is growing rapidly
In 2024, military spending in the Middle East reached $243 billion, an increase of 15% over 2023 and 19% over 2015. Israel's defense spending in 2024 increased by 65%, to $46.5 billion. Iran's military spending, which is threatened by Israel and the United States, fell by 10% in real terms in 2024, to $7.9 billion, despite regional conflicts and the support of proxy groups on its part. Sanctions against Iran have largely limited its ability to increase defense spending.
China increased military spending by 7%, to $314 billion, and thus recorded 30 years of continuous growth in military spending. Japan's military spending in 2024 increased by 21%, reaching 55.3 billion dollars. This is the highest annual growth since 1952. Spending by India, which has the fifth largest military budget in the world, increased by 1.6% to $86.1 billion. Taiwan's spending increased by 1.8%, reaching $16.5 billion.
In 2024, Saudi Arabia became the owner of the largest military budget in the Middle East and the seventh in the world. Saudi military spending, although it increased by 1.5% to $80.3 billion, is still 20% lower than in 2015, when oil revenues peaked.
Myanmar's military spending has increased by 66%, to five billion dollars, amid escalating internal conflicts. This is the highest growth in Asia and Oceania.
Mexico increased its spending by 39% to $16.7 billion, increasing resources for its National Guard and Marines as part of the fight against organized crime.
Military spending in Africa increased by 3% in 2024, amounting to 52.1 billion dollars, which is 11% more than in 2015.
