Global military spending reached nearly $2.9 trillion in 2025, marking the 11th consecutive year of growth according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), France 24 reported on Monday.
The United States, China, and Russia accounted for $1.48 trillion, representing over half of the world's total military expenditure.
While overall spending rose by 2.9 percent compared to 2024, the United States—the world's largest spender—saw a reduction in its budget, France 24 reported.
Researcher Lorenzo Scarazzato told AFP that the decrease in U.S. spending was offset by significant increases in Europe and Asia as the world experienced another year of wars and heightened tensions.
Scarazzato noted that the global military burden, or the share of worldwide GDP devoted to military spending, has reached its highest level since 2009.
"Everything points to a world that feels less secure and is spending on its military to compensate for the global landscape," Scarazzato said.
According to the report, the U.S. spent $954 billion in 2025, a 7.5 percent drop from 2024. This decline was largely due to the lack of approved new financial military aid to Ukraine, despite Washington pledging $127 billion to Kyiv over the previous three years.
However, a massive increase is expected for 2026, as the U.S. Congress has approved spending exceeding $1 trillion. This figure could rise to $1.5 trillion in 2027 if the budget proposal from President Donald Trump passes.
European defense surge
Europe, including Russia and Ukraine, served as the primary driver for the global increase. Spending in the region surged 14 percent to reach $864 billion, France 24 reported.
Scarazzato identified two main factors for this spike: the ongoing war in Ukraine and decreased U.S. engagement with Europe.
He explained that the U.S. is currently "pushing for Europe to take more care of its own defence."
Germany, the world's fourth-largest spender, increased its expenditure by 24 percent to $114 billion in 2025. Spain also saw a massive 50 percent jump to $40.2 billion, marking its highest military spending relative to GDP since 1994.
In the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, both Russia and Ukraine increased their military budgets. Russia's spending rose 5.9 percent to $190 billion, according to the SIPRI data.
