Arms imports to Europe have nearly doubled in the past five years due to the war in Ukraine, while Russian exports have decreased by half, according to a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) published on Monday. The institute stated that Ukraine has become the fourth largest arms importer in the world, and France has replaced Russia as the second largest exporter globally, following the United States.
Between 2019 and 2023, arms imports to Europe increased by 94 percent compared to the previous five years, according to the institute. Given that the volume of shipments can vary significantly from year to year, SIPRI provides data over five-year periods, offering a more stable measure of trends. The report indicates that since February 2022, at least 30 countries have provided significant military aid to Ukraine.
However, other European countries have also increased their imports, with a significant share coming from the United States, the largest arms exporter in the world. Between 2019 and 2023, 55 percent of arms imports to Europe came from this country, an increase of 35 percent compared to the period from 2014 to 2018.
Djukic noted that this is partly due to the fact that most European countries are NATO members and partners in developing military equipment such as the fighter jet "F-35". At the same time, this surge in arms imports from the United States reflects the European rush to acquire weapons as quickly as possible, potentially at the expense of focusing on developing new military systems.
