Revealing data from the renowned Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) sheds light on how the U.S. now dominates the global arms market, securing the dependence of European nations on American exports.

These findings explain why the EU is now prioritizing rearming Europe with “made in EU” weapons systems—not only to strengthen Europe’s defense industry and innovation but also to address new security challenges posed by the policies of the new U.S. President. These policies often operate outside the “allied” framework, casting doubt on the decades-long American commitment to Europe’s security.

The EU’s decisive actions have raised concerns in Washington. According to Reuters, the U.S. has warned the EU of potential consequences if American companies are excluded from European defense programs, urging European allies to continue purchasing American weapons and not to sideline U.S. companies in future defense contracts.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to bring up this issue at the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. While the new U.S. administration claims it is no longer committed to European defense, it simultaneously wants to maintain its major “clients” within the American defense industry.

Key Findings from SIPRI

• NATO’s European members more than doubled their arms imports over the past five years, with 60% of these imports coming from the U.S.
• Ukraine emerged as the world’s largest arms importer, while the U.S. solidified its position as the leading arms exporter, accounting for 43% of global arms exports.
• European NATO states increased arms imports by 105% between 2020-2024 compared to the previous five years, mainly due to the Russian threat. The U.S. supplied 64% of these weapons, up from 52% in 2015-2019.

Despite efforts by European nations to reduce dependence on arms imports and boost their domestic defense industries, Europe’s defense relationship with the U.S. remains deeply entrenched. European countries have ordered 500 fighter jets from the U.S., along with other advanced military equipment.

Italy and the UK have already purchased F-35 fighter jets and Patriot missile systems, making immediate replacement challenging. Meanwhile, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark remain heavily reliant on American military technology.

The sharp increase in arms imports has made Europe the U.S.’s largest arms market for the first time in 20 years, accounting for 35% of American arms exports in 2020-2024, surpassing the Middle East (33%). However, Saudi Arabia remains the largest individual buyer of U.S. arms.

Russia’s Declining Role

Although Russia remains the world’s third-largest arms exporter, its exports fell by 64% between 2020-2024. This decline is due to:

1. Russia prioritizing its own military needs.
2. International sanctions.
3. U.S. pressure on allies to avoid Russian arms purchases.

For instance, India, previously Russia’s biggest customer (38% of Russian arms exports in 2020-2024), is shifting toward other suppliers. Meanwhile, China, which accounted for 17% of Russian arms purchases, has strengthened its domestic defense industry.

U.S. Military Aid to the Middle East

In the Middle East, the U.S. remains the primary military supplier to Israel, providing 66% of Israel’s arms imports from 2020-2024. Additionally, since late 2023, the U.S. has increased the supply of “major” weapons, such as guided bombs, coinciding with the escalation of Israeli military operations in Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, according to SIPRI.