US arms dominate European NATO and Ukraine supplies
Ukraine and NATO countries in Europe are largely reliant on arms supplies from the United States. This has been confirmed by a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Ukraine and European NATO countries significantly depend on American arms imports. According to the SIPRI report, American imports constitute 45 per cent of Ukraine’s supplies and 64 per cent for NATO countries in Europe.
Since 2020, Ukraine's main arms imports have increased nearly a hundredfold compared to the period from 2015 to 2019. Most of these military supplies are part of the aid following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A total of 35 countries have provided Ukraine with various types of weapons, including combat vehicles and artillery with calibres greater than 100 millimetres.
Increase in arms imports to Ukraine. Half of Ukraine's resources come from the US
The United States is the main arms supplier to Ukraine, accounting for 45 per cent of deliveries, followed by Germany (12 per cent) and Poland (11 per cent). The US has provided systems like the Patriot air defence systems.
Since 2020, European NATO countries have doubled their arms imports, with the United States being their largest supplier. The Americans account for 64 per cent of the arms supplies for allies in Europe. This trend is expected to continue, as NATO countries have ordered nearly 500 fighter planes from the US.
Dr. Mathew George from SIPRI highlights that Europe, despite wanting to break free from reliance on the American military industry, cannot afford to do so. George stated that breaking Europe’s deeply rooted cooperation with the U.S. would be too costly, even if there is currently European will for independence.
The United States is the largest arms exporter in the world, and its dominance has increased in recent years. The US share of global arms exports has risen from 35 per cent a decade ago to 43 per cent now. During this time, Russia reduced its supplies by 64 per cent due to the war with Ukraine, and France has become the second-largest arms exporter.
China and India, traditionally the largest buyers of Russian arms, are changing their strategies. Beijing is investing in its own arms industry, while Delhi is purchasing weapons from the West.
