THE’Europe has become the first importer of weapons in the world, with a share equal to 33% of total global imports: this is what emerges from the new SIPRI report (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) which compared global arms flows in the period 2021-2025 with the previous five years (2016-2020). Thanks to the war between Russia and Ukraine, at the European level imports they are almost warlike triplegoing from 12% to 33%: such high values they hadn’t seen each other since the 1960sin the midst of the Cold War.
Growing tensions in Asia and the Middle East then caused a increase in the global volume of weaponsgrown well 9.2% between 2016-2020 and 2021-2025: in this context, the United States confirm their dominant position as the largest arms exporter, while Europe – now the main reference market for US weapons – has overtaken the Middle East for the first time in 20 years.
THE’Italyhowever, is positioned as the sixth largest arms exporter in the worldwith one growth of well the 157% compared to 2016-2020.
Europe is the leading arms importer with a share of 33%
The five-year period 2021-2025 has been characterized by a European comeback in arms imports: over the last 5 years, in fact, theEurope it was the region with the largest share of total arms imports, equal to 33%. Al second place, Instead, Asia and Oceania (31%) and third step for Middle East (26%).
Furthermore, for the first time in about 20 years, Europe has once again become the first reference market for US weapons – with the request European of American war equipment sketched by 217% – thus surpassing the Middle East.
Between 2021 and 2025 the Old Continent purchased the 38% of all armaments exported by the USA, compared to 33% in the Middle East: of these weapons, approximately 1/4 was intended for military aid to Ukraine.
After Kiev, Poland And United Kingdom they were the largest European importers of war equipment: almost half of these transferred weapons (48%) came from the United States, followed by Germany (7.1%) and France (6.2%).
It must be said, however, that this surge in war purchases does not depend only on military aid destined for Kiev, but also on the new perception of Russia as a threat to European securitytogether with the gradual disengagement of the United States and their “military umbrella” to protect Europe: it is no coincidence, in fact, that arms imports from the 29 European states that are part of NATO have grown by 143% between 2016-20 and 2021-25.
Italy is the world’s sixth largest arms exporter
However, within the context of European importers there is Italy, which is positioned as sixth global exporter of weapons (we were in 10th place in the period 2016-2020) and third among European countries alone, preceded by France And Germany.
More specifically, in the last 5 years the Italian arms exports have increased by 157%reaching a share of the 5.1% of global exports of armaments. More than half of these exports went to Middle East (59%), while 16% went to Asia and Oceania and only 13% to other European countries. The Qatar was our first reference market (26% of arms exports), followed by Kuwait (17%) and fromIndonesia (12%).
Global arms trafficking and US dominance
Given the data, it is therefore not surprising that in the period 2021-2025 global arms trafficking grew by well 9.2% when compared with the previous five years (2016-2020): this is the largest increase since 2011, largely due to the war in Ukrainewhich as a country received the 9.7% of global arms transfers that have occurred in these 5 years.
The United Stateshowever, are confirmed world’s largest arms supplier: of all weapons exported worldwide between 2021 and 2025, the 42% were American (+27% compared to 2016-2020), a conspicuous share if we consider that the second global exporter, i.e. Francereached just 9.8%. They follow the Russia (6.8%), the Germany (5.7%), the China (5.6%) and theItaly (5.1%).
Excluding Europe and the Americas, arms imports have decreased in all other continents: in the case of African states they dropped by 41%While Asia And Oceania they recorded a –20%especially because of the Chinawith war imports plummeting by 72%.
In the period 2021-2025 also the Middle East recorded a decline, marking a –13% of arms imports, a figure which however could change considering the current war in the Middle East.
