U.S. Bolsters Position as World's Top Arms Exporter

Trump's Ukraine policy is raising concerns among European nations about future purchases

- Alistair Macdonald

American defense companies have increased their dominance of the global arms trade, buoyed by European nations snapping up U.S. jet fighters and missiles. The U.S. accounted for 43% of global weapons exports over the past five years, up from 35% in the previous five-year period, according to new data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, a think tank.

The Sipri data show how the U.S. arms industry has been the key beneficiary of rising European defense budgets in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and as President Trump pushes the region to increase military spending.

America's F-35 jet fighter, for instance, has been bought or ordered by 13 different European countries, including Britain, Germany and Italy. European countries have also stocked up on Patriot air-defense systems, Himars rocket systems and other U.S. equipment.

But the Trump administration's decision to cut off deliveries of U.S. weapons, spare parts and intelligence to Ukraine has sparked concern in some European nations that Washington could do the same to them someday. That might now affect Europe's appetite for U.S. weapons, analysts and some lawmakers say.

"This debate has certainly started," said Sebastian Schäfer, a German lawmaker who sits on a parliamentary defense-spending committee.

Overall arms imports by European members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization more than doubled in the five years ended in 2024, compared with the five years ended in 2019, Sipri said. Almost two-thirds of those imports came from the U.S., up from just over half in the previous period.