According to a recent study, much of the growth in arms imports by European countries between 2019 and 2023 can be attributed to the significant transfers of weapons to Ukraine in 2022 and 2023.
European countries saw a nearly 94% increase in arms imports between 2014-2018 and 2019-2023, with Ukraine accounting for a substantial portion of these imports. The country, still battling against the Russian invasion, received 23% of the region’s arms imports in the latter period.
France and Italy also notably increased their arms exports during this time, finding markets in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Despite conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, global arms transfers fell slightly by 3.3% between 2014-2018 and 2019-2023.
Who’s Europe buying arms from?
Ukraine was the largest importer in Europe, accounting for 23% of all imports between 2019 and 2023. The US was the main source of arms imports for European countries during this period, with a majority of 55% coming from the US alongside imports from Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East.
After the US, Germany and France were the next largest supporters of arms imports for European countries. The US and France were the dominant players in global arms exports, with both countries experiencing significant export growth between 2014-2018 and 2019-2023.
The rise of France’s arms exports
The US and France led global arms exports during this period, with France overtaking Russia in the rankings. France’s arms exports mainly consisted of combat aircraft delivered to countries in Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East.
Other European countries like Italy also saw an increase in arms exports, while China, Germany, the UK, Spain, and Israel experienced decreases in arms exports. Europe, along with the US, accounted for a significant portion of global arms exports, with Western Europe being a major contributor to arms exports in 2019-2023.
Who’s Europe selling arms to?
Western Europe and the US were responsible for the majority of arms exports in 2019-2023, with countries like France, Germany, Italy, UK, and Spain among the top exporters. Significant arms transfers were made to the Middle East, with top buyers including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt.
India, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar were the biggest importers in 2019-2023, with Ukraine also receiving substantial arms transfers from multiple countries. Israel relied heavily on arms imports from the US and Germany, particularly in the midst of conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
