Global military spending reached a new high in 2023, for the ninth time in a row as figures exceeded the previous year's spending, a leading think tank on conflict and defence said on Monday.
According to a new report published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), inflation-adjusted spending in 2023 rose by 6.8% to $2.44 trillion, compared to $2.24 trillion in 2022.
This is the largest year-on-year increase since 2009, the group said.
The 10 largest spenders have all significantly increased their expenditures. The war between Russia and Ukraine is also responsible for this unprecedented increase.
"All regions that we map increased. That gives us a perspective of a world that feels less secure and is perhaps resorting to hard security rather than diplomatic means," SIPRI researcher Lorenzo Scarazzato told dpa.
"Countries perceive tensions and instability, and therefore, instead of pursuing diplomatic means, they rather pursue hard security, so invest more in military expenditure," Scarazzato added.
"One of the main drivers, of course, is the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine. We've seen how that prompted increase in military expenditure in Europe," he said.
The US remains unbeaten at the top of the military spending list with $916 billion. It alone accounted for more than a third, or 37%, of global military spending - about three times as much as second-placed China.
China spent an estimated $296 billion on the military, accounting for 12% of global spending - 6% more than in the previous year.
Both countries together accounted for around half of global spending in 2023.
Overall, the top seven places remained constant, according to the report. Russia was in third place, followed by India and Saudi Arabia, as in 2022.
Germany once again ranked seventh among the countries with the highest spending - just behind Britain.
"Germany has been often bashed because it has not met yet the 2% of GDP goal in NATO," SIPRI researcher Scarazzato told dpa.
"We still need to keep in mind is Germany is the second major military spender after the UK. The current percentage for GDP of Germany is 1.5 %, but in 2023 we saw it committed to reaching 2% from 2024 onwards.
"So I think we're seeing how in Germany the narrative is changing," he added.
Alexander Lurz, disarmament expert at Greenpeace, said that "Germany is now making a significant contribution to the global arms race."
"The inglorious 7th place on the list of countries with the largest military budgets should make everyone who is now calling for a second special fund or the reform of the debt brake to arm the Bundeswehr think again," Lurz said.
Some policy advisors in Germany are proposing changes to the country's strict so-called debt brake rules that would give the government several billion dollars of extra credit leeway each year.
Lurz said he thinks that there is generally a narrow understanding of security which cannot be achieved with armaments alone. "We can see that massive armament is not making the world a safer place, but rather promoting violence everywhere," he said.
Global military spending was equivalent to 2.3% of global gross domestic product with the largest percentage increase in the group of the top 10 was recorded in Ukraine. Its military expenditure rose by 51% to $64.8 billion.
The country moved from 11th place in 2022 to 8th place in 2023, with military spending accounting for more than half, 58%, of total government spending.
This share was therefore significantly higher than in Russia, where military spending accounted for 16% of total government spending last year.
In addition, other countries provided Ukraine with military aid totalling at least €35 billion ($37.3 billion). This aid and Ukraine's own military spending accounted for about 91% of Russia's military spending.
In Russia, military spending rose by 24% to an estimated $109 billion in 2023.
The annual SIPRI report on military spending around the world is the most comprehensive collection of data of its kind in the world. Researchers also include expenditure on personnel, military aid and military research and development.