Europe's Deepening Dependence on US Arms Amid Ukraine Conflict: SIPRI Finds

Europe has increasingly turned to the USA for arms imports, a trend highlighted by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The ongoing conflict in Ukraine is reshaping global arms trading patterns.

The United States has cemented its position as the leading arms dealer, as per a SIPRI analysis. The shift in global arms flows is largely attributed to Russia's incursion into Ukraine.

As reported by "Deutsche Welle" (DW), arms imports to Europe have almost doubled when compared to the period between 2014 and 2018. A significant 55 percent of arms delivered to Europe originated from the USA, marking a 20 percent increase and underscoring Europe's growing dependence on American arms imports.

The surge in exports to Europe allowed the United States to boost its share in the global arms market by 17 percent. America's footprint in the international arms trade expanded from 34 to 42 percent, with the country supplying military equipment to 107 nations worldwide—more than ever before in a similar five-year span, according to DW.

On the other hand, Russia's stature as an arms exporter is diminishing. Although the top five global arms exporters remain the USA, France, Russia, China, and Germany, Russia has fallen behind France to the third position.

Russian arms exports have plummeted by 53 percent, while French exports have risen by 47 percent. The number of countries receiving Russian military equipment has significantly reduced. In 2019, 31 countries were supplied with weapons from Russia, but by 2023, this number had dwindled to just twelve. India and China remain the most notable recipients of Russian arms, continuing their trade relations with Russia in other sectors, including crude oil and gas, unabatedly, DW points out.