Ukraine is now the worldwide leader of arms imports, NATO has doubled imports, and Russia falls from the second spot in arms dealing.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that Europe isn’t pulling its weight. Still, according to new data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), European arms imports increased 155 percent between 2020 and 2024, mainly driven by Russia’s increased aggression, notably its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago.
The report’s key findings were that the United States remains the world’s top arms supplier, with U.S. companies controlling 43 percent of the global arms exports, while Russia fell from the second spot, replaced by France.
Ukraine is now the worldwide leader of arms imports.
U.S. Arms Sales are in the Green
The SIPRI report stated that between 2015 and 2019, the United States maintained about 35 percent of the global arms market, roughly the same as the eight countries listed after combined. That number increased to 43 percent in 2020-2024, and “the United States supplied major arms to 107 states.”
SIPRI also noted a shift in where arms are headed. After two decades of weapons sales to clients in the Middle East, the largest share went to Europe, while the Middle East still accounts for 33 percent. Despite this shift, Saudi Arabia was the top foreign buyer, accounting for 12 percent of U.S. arms exports.
“The United States is in a unique position regarding arms exports. At 43 percent, its share of global arms exports is more than four times as much as France’s next-largest exporter,” said Mathew George, the program director with SIPRI Arms Transfers Program. “The United States continues to be the supplier of choice for advanced long-range strike capabilities like combat aircraft.”
NATO is Buying Arms
The report stated that NATO has more than doubled its arms imports, up 105 percent from 2015-2019 to 2020-2024. Exports to Europe accounted for 64 percent of U.S. arms exports and dwarfed all other nations.
France and South Korea saw 6.5 percent of their exports headed to Europe, Germany 4.7 percent and Israel 3.9 percent.
“With an increasingly belligerent Russia and transatlantic relations under stress during the first Trump presidency, European NATO states have taken steps to reduce their dependence on arms imports and to strengthen the European arms industry,” wrote Pieter Wezeman, senior researcher with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Program.
“But the transatlantic arms-supply relationship has deep roots. Imports from America have risen, and European NATO states have almost 500 combat aircraft and many other weapons still in order from the United States.”
Russia Falls from Second Spot in Arms Dealing
According to the SIPRI data, Russia lost its position as the second largest global exporter of military hardware, with Moscow seeing a 64 percent decline. This decline began in earnest following the Kremlin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia had maintained 21 percent of the global market from 2015 to 2019, but that number declined to 7.8 percent.
“The war against Ukraine has further accelerated the drop in Russia’s arms exports because more weapons are needed on the battlefield, trade sanctions make it harder for Russia to produce and sell its weapons, and the USA and its allies pressure states not to buy Russian arms,” added Wezeman.
The SIPRI report showed that two of the largest Russian hardware buyers lowered their dependence. That included China, which Wezeman said is “sourcing more arms from its own burgeoning arms industry,” while India is looking to “other supplies” and ramping up domestic production. Neither country has wholly sworn off Russian hardware, however.
The two nations still topped the thirty-three Russian hardware buyers, with two-thirds of exports going to three states: India, 38 percent, China, 17 percent, and Kazakhstan, 11 percent.
China has ramped up domestic production of aircraft, warships, tanks, and even small arms, yet Beijing hasn’t cut all ties with Moscow and may turn to Russia to help develop more advanced submarines. Likewise, India has scaled back its dependence on Russian arms yet has several deals in place, notably the T-90 main battle tank, some of which are being completed by Indian firms.
India has become the world’s second-largest arms importer, “with its imports reflecting perceived threats from both China and Pakistan,” SIPRI explained. New Delhi saw its imports decline 9.3 percent, reflecting increased domestic production.
SIPRI’s findings showed France moving into the second spot with 9.6 percent of the market share, which Russia’s arms exporter Rosoboronexport disputed.
“Rosoboronexport rarely discloses information about contracts signed and supplies of Russian military products completed, only upon agreement with partners. This is why SIPRI experts, working as they state with open information sources, cannot be provided with comprehensive data for conducting objective analysis of results of the company’s activities,” the company said in a statement first posted on Telegram, and later to state media outlet Tass.
Ukrainian Arms Imports Up Nearly 100 Times
Even before Russia’s invasion, Kyiv had increased its military spending, but SIPRI noted that Ukrainian “imports increased nearly 100 times over.”
“At least thirty-five states sent weapons to Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, and substantial further deliveries are in the pipeline,” SIPRI suggested, with the Eastern European nation receiving 8.8% of the global arms imports. The United States remained the top provider, followed by Germany and Poland.
“The new arms transfers figures reflect the rearmament taking place among states in Europe in response to the threat from Russia,” said George.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He hascontributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites, with over 3,200 published pieces and over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock/Trzykropy.