Arms imports into Europe will almost double in 2022, driven by massive deliveries to Ukraine, which has become the world’s third largest destination, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri). With a surge of 93% over one year, imports have also increased due to the acceleration of military spending by several European states such as Poland and Norway, which should accelerate further, according to this reference study. The annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 had started the movement. Over the last five years (2018-2022), the period favored by Sipri to identify major trends, European imports have increased by 47% compared to the previous five years, while world trade has declined by 5%.
