STOCKHOLM, March 10 (Xinhua) — European arms imports saw a significant increase in 2020-2024, said a leading Swedish think tank in a report Monday.
Data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reveals that European arms imports surged by 155 percent between 2020 and 2024 compared to the previous five-year period. During the same timeframe, Europe accounted for 28 percent of global arms imports, up from 11 percent.
The United States maintained its dominance on the global stage, with U.S. companies expanding their share of global arms exports to 43 percent from 35 percent.
Following the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ukraine has emerged as the world’s largest arms importer. From 2020 to 2024, Ukraine accounted for 8.8 percent of global arms imports, with nearly half of those supplies coming from the United States.
The United States also supplied over 50 percent of Europe’s arms imports between 2020 and 2024, with Britain, the Netherlands and Norway ranking among the top buyers.
