SIPRI: Europe Doubles Arms Imports

Between 2014-18 and 2019-23, European nations nearly doubled their arms imports (+94%), while the United States increased its arms exports by 17%, and Russia halved its exports for the first time, ranking third as an exporter after the USA and France. This is written in a report, published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Between 2019 and 2023, 55% of weapons imported to European countries were supplied by the United States, a share capped at 35% in the previous four years; “at the same time, Europe is responsible for approximately one-third of global arms exports, including large volumes going outside the region, reflecting Europe’s strong military-industrial capabilities,” explained SIPRI Director Dan Smith. “Many factors influence European NATO countries’ decisions to import from the United States, including the goal of maintaining transatlantic relations and more technical, military, and financial issues. If transatlantic relations change in the coming years, the arms supply policies of European states could also be altered.”

US exports as a share of global arms exports rose from 34 percent to 42 percent with shipments to 107 nations in 2019-2023, whereas the United States and Western European nations together account for 72 percent of all arms exports in 2019-2023, up from 62 percent in 2014-2018. Interestingly, this growing global role as an arms supplier comes “at a time when the economic and geopolitical dominance of the United States is being challenged by emerging powers,” explained Matthew George, director of SIPRI’s Arms Supply Program.

France’s exports are also on the rise: +47% between 2014-18 and 2019-23, while Russia’s exports declined 53%. Taking into account the other 10 major arms exporters after the US, France, and Russia, only two recorded growth: Italy (+86%) and South Korea (+12%), while China (–5.3%), Germany (–14%), Great Britain (–14%), Spain (–3.3%), and Israel (–25%) declined.

Most of the weapons go to Asia. India is the largest importer in the world (+4.7%), and more than half of total supplies go to Russia, while Pakistan is growing significantly (+43%), with 82% supplied by China.

In contrast, 30% of international transfers go to the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt at the forefront. Middle East is mainly sourced from the USA (52%), France (12%), Italy (10%), and Germany (7.1%). Saudi Arabia was the world’s second largest arms importer in 2019-2023, receiving 8.4% of global arms imports after India and ahead of Qatar and Ukraine.