Russia spends 7.5 percent of its gross domestic product on military needs, which is more than three times the global average of 2.5 percent, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in its new report on global military expenditures for 2025.
Total global military spending in 2025 reached a record 2,887 billion dollars, an increase of 2.9 percent compared to the previous year. Growth has continued for the eleventh consecutive year, reflecting states’ efforts to expand their armed forces amid global instability and a series of armed conflicts.
The top three countries in terms of military spending are the United States, China, and Russia, which together allocated 1,480 billion dollars to defense — accounting for 51 percent of all global military expenditures.
Russia’s spending increased by 5.9 percent over the year, reaching 190 billion dollars.
‘In 2025 military expenditure as a share of government spending reached the highest level ever recorded in both Russia and Ukraine,’ said Lorenzo Scarazzato, Researcher with the SIPRI Military Expenditure and Arms Production Programme. ‘Their spending is likely to keep growing in 2026 if the war continues, with revenues from Russia’s oil sales increasing and a major European Union loan expected by Ukraine.’
At the same time, the US military budget decreased by 7.5 percent to 954 billion dollars, which is attributed to the absence of new aid packages for Ukraine in 2025. However, it is projected that US spending will rise significantly in 2026.
A large-scale increase in defense budgets was recorded in Europe and Asia. NATO member states in Europe increased their spending by 14 percent, marking the sharpest annual rise since the Cold War. Notably, Germany’s defense spending exceeded 2 percent of GDP for the first time since 1990.
In the Asia-Pacific region, growth amounted to 8.1 percent, the highest level since 2009. China, the world’s second-largest military spender, increased its expenditures by 7.4 percent to 336 billion dollars, continuing the large-scale modernization of its armed forces.
According to SIPRI experts, the upward trend in military budgets is likely to continue into 2026, as countries proceed with long-term programs to strengthen their defense capabilities.
Download the SIPRI Fact Sheet here.
