A recent report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), released on Monday, highlights an increasing reliance of European NATO members on U.S. weapons. The report reveals that European arms imports surged by 155% between 2020 and 2024 compared to the period from 2015 to 2019.
While the U.S. supplied 52% of military equipment to European NATO countries between 2015 and 2019, this share rose to 64% in the following five years. Despite efforts by Europeans to strengthen their own defense industries, Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher at SIPRI, noted that the transatlantic arms-supply relationship remains strong. Imports from the U.S. have grown, with European NATO nations currently having nearly 500 combat aircraft and other weapons on order from the U.S.
The report comes amid Europe’s massive rearming efforts, driven by concerns over the shifting U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump and the perceived weakening of America’s long-standing security commitments to Europe. As a result, there have been calls in several European nations to reduce dependence on U.S. arms, such as recent warnings from German economists against purchasing American F-35 fighter jets.
Besides the U.S., other major suppliers to European NATO countries include France, South Korea, Germany, and Israel.
