Western military aid to Ukraine closes spending gap with Russia – SIPRI report
Western military aid to Ukraine has narrowed the spending gap between Ukraine and Russia to $10 billion, as an investment race is spreading globally, according to the latest data on military spending released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
As Ukraine enters its third year since Russia’s full-scale invasion, despite its finances being severely impacted by the burden of defence spending, “the military aid to Ukraine narrows the spending gap with Russia,” said SIPRI on Monday (22 April).
In 2023 Kyiv’s defence spending was 59% of the size of Russia’s, but rose to 91% when including foreign military aid.
Ukraine spent $64.8 billion on defence in 2023, which placed the country at the 9th place of the largest military spenders globally, according to SIRPI’s data.
By comparison, Russia spent $109 billion in 2023, a 24% increase compared to the previous year, and 57% since ten years ago in 2014, when it attacked Ukraine and illegally annexed Crimea.
SPIRI also points out that defence spending takes up 58% of total government spending in Ukraine, while in Russia it is limited to 16%.
Around 50 countries around the world have mobilised to support Ukraine militarily for over two years – and even before the start of the war – which has had a very important impact.
According to the research institute, Ukraine received at least $35 billion in military aid last year, lifting the country to only $10 billion behind Russia.
Despite large amounts of military aid promised by the West to Kyiv last year, the country’s armed forces remain outgunned and outmanned, crucially lacking ammunition and air defence systems.
Over the past year, with the US Congress blocking the disbursement of military aid, Europeans have been expected to make up the difference, despite their military-industrial complexes not fit for wartime production and Kyiv expecting a Russian offensive before summer.
Western military officials have, however, highlighted it is difficult to know exactly how much Russia spends on its war, due to restricted access to information on the country’s defence spending.
Compared to that, though Western defence expenditures and purchases are also classified, reliable accounts from official sources are generally more transparent, with allied countries announcing both purchases and deliveries.
According to SIPRI’s report, global military expenditure reached a total of $2443 billion last year, and for the first time since 2009, increased across all continents.
“The unprecedented rise in military spending is a direct response to the global deterioration in peace and security,” Nan Tian, a senior researcher with SIPRI told reporters.
“States are prioritising military strength but risk an action-reaction spiral in the increasingly volatile geopolitical and security landscape,” he warned.
The report highlights China’s continued increase in military spending as its neighbours follow suit. Beijing has raised its defence expenditure for the 29th year in a row, according to SIPRI.
As a result, Japan’s and Taiwan’s defence expenditures grew significantly, while Israel’s war against Gaza also led to a spike in numbers.
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