European leaders seem to be fulfilling their promise to spend more on defense.
Following US pressure from President Donald Trump, which ’ scolded NATO allies for failing to meet their defense spending goals, the continent's investments in 2025’ %It increased by 14 (more than any other continent) to 739 billion Euro’.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute ’ne (SIPRI), this is the steepest climb seen since the 1950s and twice as high as 10 years ago. Many NATO members agree that the GDP set for 2035 %It is taking action to achieve its new spending target of 5’i.
Berlin invested about 97 billion euros in defence last year; This is according to 2024’e in expenditures %That's an increase of 24’.
This means that Germany ’ is now Europe ’'s largest defense investor, surpassing the UK ’, and is the world's fourth largest defense investor, behind the US ($854 billion), China ($336 billion), and Russia ’ ($190 billion).
The Bundeswehr ‘ will be ’'s most powerful conventional armed force.
EuroDefense Germany President Colonel (retired) Ralph Thiele told Europe in Motion’a that with a package of 153 major projects underway, Germany’ aims to acquire new weapon systems, modernize its equipment, strengthen its infrastructure and cybersecurity.
Germany’'s armed forces, the Bundeswehr, are fortifying their infantry brigades with more Puma combat vehicles and ordering billions of euros for the 237 Infanterist der Zukunft system by 2029.
This is a modular, integrated combat system designed to provide infantry with significant lethality, survival, mobility, combat command and training.
He said the military was also focused on closing air defense gaps, making significant investments in guided missile systems, as well as plans to purchase 20 new Eurofighters, as well as Skyranger 30 anti-aircraft gun tanks of up to 600’e, and placing large orders for “Patriot, IRST and Meteor.
The navy is also preparing to expand with plans to supply up to 42“ manned ships integrated with the ” 50 unmanned system, including ’new corvettes and submarines.
Thiele said that with investments in spy satellites, space planes and laser-based defense systems in space, “More strategic priorities lie in military space programs.
He announced that these investments would turn the German army into “, ’'s most powerful conventional armed force.
What other countries are increasing their military spending?
Another major economy that has not retreated %Italy is ’ with an increase of 20’; Currently, Israel stands at the head of ’le (41 billion euros) in military spending.
Spain, where NATO’ is underperforming as usual, %Going further with an increase of 50’, the alliance's former GDP for the first time since the beginning of the 90’s %2’si has reached his goal.
Who spends the most GDP compared to ’?
Looking at the share of defense spending in GDP provides a clearer picture of who is considering defense as a national priority.
Ukraine (Estimated %with 40), Algeria %While it is the world leader with a significant ratio of 8.8, all the top countries in Europe ’ are neighbors with Russia.
Poland, GDP’ %It ranks first by splitting 4.5’ini into weapons and defense infrastructure.
Republic of Latvia %It came in second with 3.6, while Estonia (%3,4) and Norway (%3.3, followed by Iceland (almost %0) and Ireland (%0,2 and Switzerland (%0.8) is at the bottom of the ranking.
Among the continent's five largest economies, and despite a slight decline in military spending in 2025’te, the United Kingdom %It continues to be the largest investor with 2.4, making it Germany's (%2,3, from Spain (%2,1, from France (%2) and Italy (%1,9 is followed.
How does the war in ’ affect military spending?
the U.S., a noticeable decrease in total spending (%-7.5), which was due to the fact that a new financial military aid to ’ was not approved in 2025’te Ukraine. This was in stark contrast to the previous three years, when a total of $127 billion was signed for Kiev.
Washington is still among the 15 most-spending countries in the world's total defense spending. Constitutes ’; the Chinese () and Russia (%6.6) is followed.
SIPRI, “Despite ongoing economic pressures and sanctions, Russia has so far managed to increase its military spending on an annual basis since 2022’, despite changing procurement and operational strategies, said ”.
"As the occupation of “ has increasingly turned into a war of attrition, Russia has turned to supplying higher quantities of cheaper weapon systems in order to limit operational costs," the statement said.
