European NATO members have more than doubled their dependence on US arms imports in the last five years, according to a report published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on Monday.
This development comes as European NATO members seek to bolster continental defence capabilities in response to the anticipated US disengagement announced by President Donald Trump.
Ukraine has become the world's largest arms importer for the period 2020 to 2024, while the US has strengthened its position as the leading arms exporter, accounting for 43% of global exports, ahead of France.
European NATO Member States saw a 105% increase in arms imports from 2020 to 2024 compared to 2015 to 2019, reflecting a general rearmament in Europe in response to the threat from Russia, SIPRI reports.
The US provided 64% of these arms, up from 52% in 2015 to 2019.
'Deeply rooted' transatlantic relationship
"Faced with an increasingly belligerent Russia and strained transatlantic relations during the first Trump presidency," European NATO states have tried to "reduce their dependence on arms imports and strengthen the European arms industry," said Pieter Wezeman, senior researcher in SIPRI's Arms Transfer programme.
A F35 fighter jet of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Credit: Belga / Raigo Pajula / AFP
However, "the transatlantic relationship in terms of arms supply is deeply rooted. Imports from the US have increased and European NATO states have ordered nearly 500 combat aircraft and many other weapons from the US," Wezeman added.
Speaking to AFP, Wezeman highlighted that France is not very dependent on the US. However, other large countries such as Italy and the UK are buying F35 stealth aircraft or Patriot air defence systems from the Americans, which are difficult to replace quickly.
"The F35 is an American product, but as part of these sales, the Europeans have been integrated into the production of key components."
The Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, which are in the midst of tensions with the US over the future of Greenland, are even more dependent on American weapons, he pointed out.
