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For the first time since monotheism in 1990, Germany has overcome other countries of Western Europe in the costs of defense, according to the data published on Monday by the Stockholm International Institute for Research Problems (SIPRI).
The German military budget increased by 28 % to 77.63 billion euros (88.5 billion dollars), becoming the largest in Central and Western Europe and the fourth largest in the world.
“The latest political decisions, which were adopted in Germany and many other European countries, indicate that Europe entered a period of military spending, which is likely to continue in the foreseeable future.“, – male Lorenzo ScarzoSibi specialist in military expenses and weapons production.
Regarding the military budget, the United States, China and Russia are located in Germany, and India is located directly behind Germany in the classification. Together, these five countries represent 60 % of global military expenditures.
According to Scarazzo, the increase in the defense costs in Germany is largely due to a special defense fund of 100 billion euros, which was announced in 2022 the coalition of traffic lights.
At that time, Bundestag agreed to this fund, which, according to it, was designed to strengthen the federal armed forces due to the fastest purchase of the Bundes equipment and the establishment of projects for the federal armed forces.
The war caused a record boom of the military industrial complex
Military expenditures in Europe, including Russia, increased in 2024 by 17 % to $ 693 billion, mainly due to the full invasion of the Russian Federation to Ukraine, which will last for the third year. These expenses, which have increased over the past 83 %, have already exceeded the ends of the Cold War.
All European countries, with the exception of Malta, increased their military spending in 2024.
In 2024, defense expenditures in Europe increased thanks to a sharp flow of investments in the military industrial complex in France, Poland and Sweden.
France Its military budget increased by 6.1 % to 64.7 billion dollars, which is 2.1 % The country’s gross domestic product, within the framework of the ambitious law of military planning for the period 2024-30, which aims to modernize the French armed forces and reduce dependence on allies, such as the United States. French President Emmanuel Macron said he intends to bring the share of military spending 3 %.
Poland It became one of the most military NATO members, which increased military spending by 31 %, to $ 38 billion in 2024. 4.2 % GDP, the highest rate in Central and Western Europe.
SwedenAnd that joined NATO only last year, its military expenses increased by 34 %, reaching 12 billion dollars and meeting the target index of NATO in 2 %. Over the past decade, the Swedish defense budget has multiplied more than twice. Like Germany and France, Sweden also announced the financial support packages in Ukraine.
All NATO members increased their military expenses in 2024
Since European defense and safety became the most sharp topics of NATO members, and the possibility of reducing America’s obligations towards the coalition during the era of Donald Trump on many American partners, they have begun to increase their military expenses.
In February 2024, Trump invited Russian President Vladimir Putin.Do everything he wants“With NATO countries that do not spend at least 2 % of GDP on the national defense.
According to the SIPRI study, the total military expenses of NATO member countries in 2024 amounted to $ 1506 billion, or 55 % of global military expenditures.
Of the 32 NATO members, at least 18 % of the GDP of their armed forces spent, compared to 11 in 2023.
“The rapid increase in expenses between European NATO members was the result of the mainly preserved Russian threat and concerns about the potential separation of the United States within the alliance.“, – He speaks Jishi Gabrtu Ricard, Researcher in Sipi on military expenses and weapons production.
“It should be noted that the increase in expenditures in itself will not necessarily lead to a significant increase in military capabilities or independence from the United States. These are more complex tasks– – The expert explains.
In 2024, US military expenditures grew by 5.7 % and an impressive amount of $ 997 billion – two -thirds of all NATO expenditures and more than a third of global defense costs.
There was an important part of the budget aimed at modernizing the army and modernizing the nuclear arsenal as part of Washington’s strategy to maintain superiority over competitors such as Russia and China.