SIPRI Report: US, the main supplier of weapons to Europe

The US has become the main supplier of weapons to Europe, according to the report published yesterday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The cited source shows that, if in the period 2015-2019 the United States supplied 52% of the military equipment purchased by the European NATO states, this percentage increased to 64% in the following five years, an increase that reflects not only an increased need for modern weapons, but also a dependence of Europe on weapons supplied by the US.

Pieter Wezeman, senior researcher at SIPRI, commented on this phenomenon, stating that the Europeans are making efforts to strengthen their defense industries, but the transatlantic relationship regarding the supply of weapons has deep roots. "Imports from the US have increased, and the European NATO states still have almost 500 fighter jets and many other types of weapons from the Americans on order," said Wezeman.

SIPRI also shows that European arms imports increased by 155% between 2020 and 2024 compared to the period 2015-2019, in response to Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in 2022.

The publication of this report comes at a time when Europe is rethinking its security strategy, amid uncertainty about the future of the US commitment to the defense of Europe. Concerns about a possible realignment of the administration of former President Donald Trump with Russia and the reduction of security guarantees offered by Washington have amplified discussions about reducing dependence on American weapons.

This topic is being intensely debated in some European countries. For example, German economists recently warned about the risks involved in the purchase of American F-35 fighter jets, suggesting the need to develop the European defense industry.

In addition to the United States, other important states that supply weapons to NATO are France, South Korea, Germany and Israel. These countries play a key role in diversifying Europe's arms sources, even though the US remains the undisputed leader in military exports.

The SIPRI report also reveals that in the period 2020-2024, Ukraine became the largest arms importer globally, receiving most of its equipment from the US, Germany and Poland. This trend is directly linked to the conflict with Russia, which has led to massive military support from Western allies. Globally, along with Ukraine, the main arms importing countries are India, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. On the other hand, the largest arms exporters are the US, France, Russia, China and Germany, highlighting a geopolitical landscape marked by competition and strategic reconfigurations.

It remains to be seen to what extent the ReArm EU program proposed by the European Commission and to be financed with 800 billion euros will help European states develop their own defense industries or will they continue to rely on American military support.