Record increase for the world’s military expenses – DN.se
Over 100 of the world’s countries increased their military spending in 2024. Of all that is produced throughout the world, 2.5 percent now goes to military purposes.
The fastest is the renovation in Europe (including Russia). There, the countries spent $ 693 billion (over SEK 6 trillion) more on the military in 2024, compared to the year before. This is an increase of 17 percent.
Russia’s attack war against Ukraine is in its third year and leads to Europe’s states prioritizing other needs in favor of the military. Europe spends more money on the military than they did at the end of the Cold War. All European countries except Malta increased their expenses.
Russia equipped with 38 percent, and last year put $ 149 billion on its military power. This is twice as much as 2015, and now corresponds to 7.1 percent of gross domestic product, GDP. A significant part went to the Russian weapons industry. Probably the Russian military spending in Russia increased even more than the statistics shows, writes Sipri, it is difficult to gain access to Russian finances.
Ukraine’s military spending increased significantly less than Russia, by 2.9 percent. They amounted to $ 64.7 billion, ie 43 percent of Russian. Ukraine uses 34 percent of GDP for its defense, the highest proportion of all countries in the world.
– Ukraine is currently putting all its tax revenue on the military. In such a narrow fiscal space, it will be challenging for Ukraine to continue to increase its military spending, says Diego Lopes da Silva, a researcher at Sipris program for military spending and weapons production.
All NATO countries equippedand part of this also goes to Ukraine’s defense. The country received at least $ 60 billion in military financial support last year, mainly from the US, Germany and other NATO countries. In addition, Ukraine receives other financial assistance, to its social and economic government expenditure.
Germany’s military spending increased by 28 percent and Polands by 31 percent. NATO countries’ total defense expenditure corresponds to 55 percent of global military spending. European NATO members account for 30 percent of the Alliance total expenditure.
Military spending in the Middle East also increased sharply last year, by 15 percent. Israel’s military spending rose by 65 percent, while the country continued the war in Gaza and escalated the conflict with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
It is the most powerful annual increase since the Six Day War in 1967. The military burden for the Israelis increased to 8.8 percent of GDP, which was the world’s second highest.
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