Ukraine ranks first in the world in terms of arms imports: SIPRI study
9 March 14:18
Ukraine ranked first in the world in terms of arms imports in 2021–2025. Meanwhile, Russian exports fell almost threefold during this period.
This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", citing data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Ukraine is the leader in purchases
According to the report, over the past five years, Ukraine has become the largest recipient of arms in the world, accounting for 9.7% of total global imports.
India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan follow Ukraine in the ranking of the largest arms importers. SIPRI notes that since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has received weapons from at least 36 countries.
Who is the largest supplier?
- The US is the undisputed leader, accounting for 41% of all supplies.
- Germany ranks second with a 14% share.
- Poland rounds out the top three key partners with 9.4%.
Analysts note that in 2025, the volume of supplies will decrease slightly compared to the peak years of 2023–2024. This is due to a reduction in US aid and increased secrecy surrounding the transfer of certain types of weapons.
At the same time, 25 countries have signed agreements with the US to purchase air defense missiles and aerial bombs specifically for the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Global arms exports
The United States, France, Russia, Germany, and China remain the leaders in global arms exports during this period, together accounting for about 70% of all deliveries.
At the same time, Germany’s role in the arms market has grown, overtaking China to become the fourth largest exporter. A significant portion of German supplies (approximately 24%) went to Ukraine.
Russia is losing its influence on the market
According to the report, Russia is rapidly losing its position as the leading arms seller. Its share of the global export market has fallen from 21% (in 2016–2020) to a critical 6.8% (in 2021–2025).
SIPRI analysts note that this is because Russia is now forced to use most of its weapons to supply its own army in the war against Ukraine, as well as due to large-scale international sanctions.
Russian exports now consist mainly of supplies to India, China, and Belarus, but the overall trend points to an unprecedented collapse of Russian influence in the global arms market.
