Chinese weapons. Stock photo: Getty Images
US, China and Russia are world's top military spenders, SIPRI reports
Global military spending has increased for the 11th consecutive year, and the United States, China and Russia are allocating the largest amounts among all countries worldwide.
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Global military spending has increased for the 11th consecutive year, and the United States, China and Russia are allocating the largest amounts among all countries worldwide.
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), as reported by European Pravda
Details: According to SIPRI's report published on Monday, global military expenditure rose by 2.9% in 2025 to US$2.89 trillion. This marked the 11th consecutive year of growth, with spending reaching 2.5% of global GDP, the highest level since 2009.
The three biggest military spenders – the US, China and Russia – accounted for US$1.48 trillion, or 51% of global expenditure.
US military spending declined to US$954 billion in 2025, mainly because no new financial military aid package for Ukraine was approved. "This was in sharp contrast to the previous three years, when a total of US$127 billion was approved," SIPRI noted.
However, the US increased investment in both nuclear and conventional military capabilities in order to maintain dominance in the Western Hemisphere and deter China in the Indo-Pacific region, which are key objectives of the new National Security Strategy.
"The decline in US military expenditure in 2025 is likely to be short-lived," said Nan Tian, Director of the SIPRI Military Expenditure and Arms Production Programme.
Spending approved by the US Congress for 2026 has increased to more than US$1 trillion, a significant rise compared with 2025, and could reach US$1.5 trillion in 2027.
China's defence spending amounted to US$336 billion (an increase of 7.4% compared with 2024), while Russia's reached US$190 billion (an increase of 5.9%).
Background: SIPRI data also indicate that Germany has significantly increased its arms exports, overtaking China to become the fourth-largest exporter of weapons in the world.
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