Worldwide military expenses rise to a record level

« More than 100 countries worldwide increased their military spending in 2024, » says Xiao Liang, researcher in the Sipri program for military spending and armaments production. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) has a report on Monday published about global military spending in 2024.

According to Sipri, the global military spending between 2023 and 2024 has increased as much as it has not been since the end of the Cold War. The global military spending has been increasing for ten years. They have not increased as much since at least 1988. Between 2023 and 2024, military expenses worldwide rose by 9.4 percent to $ 2,718 billion. According to the Sipri report, these increases are due to the war in Ukraine and the Gaza conflict.

The five largest military households are: USA, China, Russia, Germany and India. They account for 60 percent of the global total expenditure of $ 1,635 billion. The United States and China are the largest donors and make up almost half of the global expenses. These amount to $ 2,718 billion.

Europe arms up

In the top 15, Germany are in fourth place, the United Kingdom in sixth place, the Ukraine in eighth place, France in Ninth, Poland in 13th place in 13th place. The top 15, which also include Israel, Japan and South Korea, make up 80 percent of total expenses.

The expenditure of the 32 NATO member states in 2024 amounted to a total of $ 1,506 billion, which corresponds to $ 55 percent of global expenses. The increase in defense spending on the European continent is due to the war in Ukraine.

Poland, in 13th place, increased its military spending by 31 percent to 4.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). The Polish defense spending now amounts to $ 38 billion. Ukraine spends $ 64.7 billion for its defense, which corresponds to 34 percent of GDP. Ukraine received at least $ 60 billion in military financial aid by 2024.

Germany becomes the largest expenditure post in Central and Western Europe. The German military spending increases by 28 percent between 2023 and 2024 and thus overtake Britain, which is now in sixth place. « For the first time since reunification, Germany is the largest military investor in Western Europe, » says Lorenzo Scarazzato, expert in the Sipri program for military spending and armaments production.