The US accounted for 43 per cent of global weapons exports between 2020 and 2024, more than four times the share of France, the world’s second-largest exporter, according to new data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

The top 10 arms exporters in 2020–24 were the same as those in 2015–19, but Russia (accounting for 7.8 per cent of global arms exports) fell to third place behind France (9.6 per cent), while Italy (4.8 per cent) jumped from 10th to sixth place. 

At least, 35 states sent weapons to Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, and substantial further deliveries are in the pipeline. Ukraine received 8.8 per cent of global arms imports in 2020–24. Most of the major arms supplied to Ukraine came from the US (45 per cent), followed by Germany (12 per cent) and Poland (11 per cent). Ukraine was the only European state among the top 10 importers in 2020–24, although many other European states significantly increased their arms imports in the period, says the SIPRI Fact Sheet.

Arms imports by the European NATO members more than doubled between 2015–19 and 2020–24 (+105 per cent). The US supplied 64 per cent of these arms, a substantially larger share than in 2015–19 (52 per cent). The other main suppliers were France and South Korea (accounting for 6.5 per cent each), Germany (4.7 per cent) and Israel (3.9 per cent).

"With an increasingly belligerent Russia and transatlantic relations under stress during the first Trump presidency, European NATO states have taken steps to reduce their dependence on arms imports and to strengthen the European arms industry," said Pieter Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme. "But the transatlantic arms-supply relationship has deep roots. Imports from the US have risen and European NATO states have almost 500 combat aircraft and many other weapons still on order from the US." 

Arms exports by the US increased by 21 per cent between 2015–19 and 2020–24, and its share of global arms exports grew from 35 per cent to 43 per cent. The USA supplied major arms to 107 states in 2020–24. 

For the first time in two decades, the largest share of US arms exports in 2020–24 went to Europe (35 per cent) rather than the Middle East (33 per cent). Nevertheless, the top single recipient of US arms was Saudi Arabia (12 per cent of US arms exports). 

"The USA is in a unique position when it comes to arms exports. At 43 per cent, its share of global arms exports is more than four times as much as the next-largest exporter, France," said Mathew George. "The US continues to be the supplier of choice for advanced long-range strike capabilities like combat aircraft."

In contrast to the US, arms exports by Russia fell sharply (–64 per cent) between 2015–19 and 2020–24. The decline started before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022: in 2020 and 2021 export volumes were much smaller than in any year in the previous two decades. 

"The war against Ukraine has further accelerated the drop in Russia’s arms exports because more weapons are needed on the battlefield, trade sanctions make it harder for Russia to produce and sell its weapons, and the US and its allies pressure states not to buy Russian arms,’ said Pieter Wezeman. "Two of Russia’s most important arms-trading relationships had already weakened before 2022, with India increasingly favouring other suppliers, and China sourcing more arms from its own burgeoning arms industry."

Russia delivered major arms to 33 states in 2020–24. Two thirds of Russian arms exports went to three states: India (38 per cent), China (17 per cent) and Kazakhstan (11 per cent). 

France became the world’s second largest arms supplier in 2020–24, delivering arms to 65 states. France’s exports of major arms to other European states almost trebled between 2015–19 and 2020–24 (+187 per cent). This was mainly due to deliveries of combat aircraft to Greece and Croatia, and arms supplies to Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. 

Nevertheless, India received by far the largest share of French arms exports (28 per cent), almost twice the share that went to all European recipients combined (15 per cent). The second largest recipient of major arms from France was Qatar (9.7 per cent of French arms exports). 

China was the fourth largest exporter of arms in 2020–24, with 5.9 per cent of global arms exports. Despite China’s efforts to increase its arms exports, many large importers do not buy Chinese arms for political reasons.