European Defense Spending Rose to $816.9bn in 2025
European defense spending climbed from $468.0bn in 2021 to $816.9bn in 2025, a roughly 75% rise, according to our calculation from SIPRI country-level data.
Key takeaways
- European defense spending rose from $468.0bn in 2021 to $816.9bn in 2025, an increase of roughly 75% (our calculation from SIPRI country-level data).
- Europe's share of world military spending climbed from 21% to 29.8% over the same period.
- Russia became Europe's top spender in 2025 at $158.2bn (19.4% of the European total), up from second place at $68.5bn in 2021.
- Germany rose from fourth to second place, reaching $106.7bn in 2025, while the United Kingdom fell from first to third at $88.0bn.
- Ukraine entered the top ranks in 2025 at $77.6bn, a country absent from the 2021 top eight.
Verdict
European defense spending rose from $468.0bn in 2021 to $816.9bn in 2025, a roughly 75% increase, with Europe's share of world spending climbing from 21% to 29.8%. This is our calculation from SIPRI country-level data covering the 44 European countries SIPRI reports for 2025; countries without a 2025 figure are excluded.
At a glance
| Europe total, 2021 | $468.0bn44 countries, our calculation |
|---|---|
| Europe total, 2025 | $816.9bn44 countries, our calculation |
| Increase since 2021 | ~75%$468.0bn → $816.9bn |
| Europe's share of world spending, 2025 | 29.8%up from 21% in 2021 |
| Top spender, 2025 | Russia, $158.2bn19.4% of European total |
| Top spender, 2021 | United Kingdom, $72.1bn15.4% of European total |
European defense spending rose from $468.0bn in 2021 to $816.9bn in 2025, an increase of roughly 75% over four years, according to our calculation from SIPRI country-level data covering 44 European countries.
01 How Much Has European Defense Spending Increased Since 2021?
The combined military expenditure of the 44 European countries SIPRI tracks climbed from $468.0bn in 2021 to $816.9bn in 2025, measured in constant 2024 US dollars. That is an increase of about $349bn, or roughly 75%, over the four-year span. The totals are our calculation from SIPRI country-level data — not a published SIPRI regional aggregate — built by summing every European country's reported figure for each year.
The rise spans the full period rather than a single spike: European spending has moved higher in each year SIPRI reports since 2021, reflecting increased budgets across a broad set of countries rather than a change concentrated in one or two states.
02 Europe's Rising Share of Global Military Spending
Europe's share of world military spending rose from 21% in 2021 to 29.8% in 2025.
Figures reflect Europe's reported share of world military spending; this article does not calculate or imply an underlying world total.
03 Who Leads European Military Spending in 2025?
Russia is the leading spender in Europe in 2025, at $158.2bn, equal to 19.4% of the $816.9bn European total. Germany ranks second at $106.7bn (13.1%), followed by the United Kingdom at $88.0bn (10.8%), Ukraine at $77.6bn (9.5%), and France at $64.5bn (7.9%). Italy, Poland, and Spain round out the top eight, at $45.4bn (5.6%), $42.5bn (5.2%), and $37.7bn (4.6%) respectively.
"Leading" here refers strictly to the reported dollar total for the year — it is a ranking of spending levels, not an assessment of any country's military strength, security posture, or the justification behind its budget.
04 How the Rankings Shifted: Russia, Germany, and Ukraine's Rise
In 2021, the United Kingdom led European spending at $72.1bn (15.4% of the $468.0bn total), followed by Russia at $68.5bn (14.6%), France at $60.5bn (12.9%), and Germany at $59.9bn (12.8%). By 2025, that order changed substantially: Russia moved from second to first, more than doubling its 2021 figure to $158.2bn. Germany moved from fourth to second, nearly doubling its spending to $106.7bn. The United Kingdom, which led in 2021, fell to third at $88.0bn.
- Russia — rose from $68.5bn (rank 2, 2021) to $158.2bn (rank 1, 2025).
- Germany — rose from $59.9bn (rank 4, 2021) to $106.7bn (rank 2, 2025).
- United Kingdom — rose from $72.1bn (rank 1, 2021) to $88.0bn (rank 3, 2025).
- Ukraine — entered the top ranks at $77.6bn (rank 4, 2025); it did not appear in the 2021 top eight.
France and Italy also increased in dollar terms — France from $60.5bn to $64.5bn, Italy from $37.0bn to $45.4bn — but slipped in relative rank as Russia, Germany, and Ukraine rose faster.
05 Country-by-Country Comparison: 2021 vs. 2025
| Country | 2021 Spending | 2021 Share of Europe | 2025 Spending | 2025 Share of Europe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | $68.5bn | 14.6% | $158.2bn | 19.4% |
| Germany | $59.9bn | 12.8% | $106.7bn | 13.1% |
| United Kingdom | $72.1bn | 15.4% | $88.0bn | 10.8% |
| Ukraine | — | — | $77.6bn | 9.5% |
| France | $60.5bn | 12.9% | $64.5bn | 7.9% |
| Italy | $37.0bn | 7.9% | $45.4bn | 5.6% |
| Poland | $19.6bn | 4.2% | $42.5bn | 5.2% |
| Spain | $21.1bn | 4.5% | $37.7bn | 4.6% |
| Turkey | $17.3bn | 3.7% | — | — |
Russia's spending nearly tripled over the period, from $68.5bn to $158.2bn, a 131% increase — the largest proportional increase among the countries appearing in both years' top eight. Poland's spending also rose sharply, from $19.6bn to $42.5bn, a 117% increase, but was outpaced by Russia's growth. For the full 2025 global picture, see the 2025 world rankings.
Sum of the 44 Europe countries SIPRI reports for 2025. Countries without a 2025 figure are excluded. All totals are our calculation from SIPRI country-level data, not SIPRI's own published total, and are expressed in constant 2024 US dollars. Data as of 2026-07-26, based on the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much has European defense spending increased since 2021?
- It rose from $468.0bn in 2021 to $816.9bn in 2025, an increase of roughly 75%, based on our calculation from SIPRI country-level data for 44 European countries.
- What share of world military spending does Europe account for in 2025?
- Europe accounts for 29.8% of world military spending in 2025, up from 21% in 2021.
- Which country leads European military spending in 2025?
- Russia leads at $158.2bn, equal to 19.4% of the $816.9bn European total, having ranked second in 2021 at $68.5bn.
- Is the $816.9bn European total a SIPRI-published figure?
- No. It is our calculation from SIPRI country-level data, summing the 44 European countries SIPRI reports for 2025; it is not SIPRI's own published regional total.
defensebudget.org
Defense spending data, sourced from SIPRI
defensebudget.org tracks military expenditure for 160 countries using the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database. Pages are generated from that dataset and reviewed before publication.