SIPRI: Europe has become the largest importer of weapons
Over the past five years, from 2021 to 2025, European countries have increased arms imports by more than three times and have become the largest region in terms of their purchases. This is reported by RBC with reference to the report of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) "Trends in international arms supplies 2025."
The following countries have entered the top 10 in terms of arms exports over a five-year period:
- The United States accounted for 42% of global arms shipments from 2021 to 2025. They supplied weapons to 99 countries (35 in Europe, 18 in the Americas, 17 in Africa, 17 in Asia and Oceania, and 12 in the Middle East).
Saudi Arabia (12% of US exports), Ukraine (9.4%) and Japan (8.9%) received the most American weapons.
In five years, arms exports from the United States have grown by 27%, and their shipments to Europe by 217%.
"The United States has further consolidated its dominance as an arms supplier, even in an increasingly multipolar world," says Peter Weseman, senior researcher at the SIPRI arms supply program. According to him, importers of American weapons receive advanced military capabilities, while the United States considers arms exports as a tool of foreign policy and strengthening the national military industry.
- France has accounted for 9.8% of global shipments over the past five years. The republic exported weapons to 63 countries, most of all to India (24% of French exports), Egypt (11%) and Greece (10%). Within Europe, French exports increased by 452%.
- Russia is the only country in the top ten whose arms exports have decreased over the past five years (minus 64%), according to SIPRI. Its total share in global shipments was 6.8%. It transferred weapons to 30 countries, about 74% of its total exports went to India (48%), China (13%) and Belarus (13%).
The head of Rostec State Corporation, Sergey Chemezov, criticized the SIPRI calculation methodology for companies in the defense sector. "We, like other countries, such as China, do not publish this data – it is private. Where do they get them from? They just suck it out of their fingers," he claimed.
- Germany has displaced China in this position over the past five years. The share of its exports in global supplies was 5.7%. Almost a quarter of German arms exports went to Ukraine, followed by Egypt (14%) and Israel (10%).
- China has accounted for 5.6% of global supplies over the past five years. Beijing has transferred most of its military products to Pakistan (61% of Chinese exports), Serbia (6.8%) and Thailand (4.7%).
- Italy – from 2021 to 2025, Italian arms exports increased by 157%, with Italy accounting for 5.1% of global shipments. More than half of Italian weapons, 59%, go to the Middle East, 16% to Asia and Oceania, and 13% to Europe. Qatar (26%), Kuwait (17%), and Indonesia (12%) are the leaders among importers of Italian products.
- Israel has surpassed the UK for the first time due to the growth of its exports. Its share in global supplies is 4.4%, and it transmits the most products to India (29%), Germany (21%) and the USA (7.8%).
"Despite the war in Gaza and attacks on Iran, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria and Yemen, Israel still managed to increase its share in global arms exports," says Zayn Hussein, a researcher at the SIPRI arms supply program. She draws attention to the fact that the Israeli military-industrial complex is primarily focused on air defense systems, and there is a great demand for them in the world.
- Great Britain – its share was 3.4%. The largest importers of British weapons are Qatar (31% of British exports), the USA (14%) and Ukraine (13%).
- South Korea accounts for 3% of global arms exports, and transfers most of its products to Poland (58% of South Korean supplies), the Philippines (18%), and the United Arab Emirates (9.5%).
- Spain – the share of its weapons in global supplies is 2.3%, Saudi Arabia (28% of exports), Turkey (16%), Belgium (12%) receive the most Spanish weapons.
Ukraine ranks 21st in this ranking with a share of 0.3% of the global total. China (64% of Ukrainian exports), India (23%) and Qatar (5.8%) bought the most weapons from it.
As for imports, Europe has become the largest buyer – over the past five years, it has imported 33% of global arms shipments, increasing its imports by 210%. After Ukraine, Poland and the United Kingdom were the largest recipients. Almost half, 48%, of imported weapons are American, followed by German (7.1%) and French (6.2%) products.
"Although European firms have increased arms production, and the new investment support program provided by the European Union to the defense industry has led to a number of intra–European orders, in 2021-2025, European states continued to import American weapons, especially combat aircraft and long–range air defense systems," said Katarina Jokic, a researcher at the SIPRI arms supply program.
In other regions, such as Asia and Oceania, the Middle East and Africa, arms purchases have declined over the past five years.
