Global Military Expenditure Reaches Nearly 2.9 Trillion Dollars in 2025

Apr 26, 2026, 22:33
AsiaInternational

Introduction

A report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) indicates that global military spending increased for the eleventh consecutive year, totaling approximately $2.89 trillion in 2025.

Main Body

The aggregate expenditure grew by 2.9 percent relative to 2024, with the United States, China, and Russia collectively accounting for $1.48 trillion, or more than half of the total. This growth resulted in the global military burden—the proportion of worldwide GDP allocated to defense—reaching its highest level since 2009 at 2.5 percent. In the United States, spending decreased by 7.5 percent to $954 billion, a decline attributed to the absence of new approved financial military aid for Ukraine. However, this reduction is projected to be temporary, as the U.S. Congress has authorized spending exceeding $1 trillion for 2026, with potential increases to $1.5 trillion in 2027 contingent upon the approval of President Donald Trump's budget proposal. European expenditure increased by 14 percent to $864 billion, driven by the conflict in Ukraine and a perceived reduction in U.S. engagement, which has prompted European nations to enhance their autonomous defense capabilities. Germany's spending rose 24 percent to $114 billion, while Spain's expenditure increased by 50 percent to $40.2 billion, exceeding 2 percent of its GDP for the first time since 1994. Russia and Ukraine recorded the highest shares of government spending on the military, with Russia's budget increasing 5.9 percent to $190 billion (7.5 percent of GDP) and Ukraine's rising 20 percent to $84.1 billion (40 percent of GDP). Spending in Asia and Oceania grew by 8.5 percent to $681 billion, the most significant annual increase since 2009. China's estimated expenditure was $336 billion, continuing a three-decade trend of annual growth. Other regional increases included Japan, which raised spending by 9.7 percent to $62.2 billion (1.4 percent of GDP), and Taiwan, which saw a 14 percent increase to $18.2 billion. These trends are analyzed as responses to regional threat perceptions and uncertainty regarding U.S. security commitments. Conversely, Middle Eastern expenditure remained relatively stable, increasing by 0.1 percent to $218 billion. Israel's spending decreased by 4.9 percent to $48.3 billion following a January 2025 ceasefire in Gaza, though it remains 97 percent higher than 2022 levels. Iran's spending decreased by 5.6 percent to $7.4 billion; however, SIPRI notes that this decline is a result of 42 percent annual inflation, and spending actually increased in nominal terms.

Conclusion

Global defense spending continues to rise as nations respond to geopolitical instability and shifting security alliances, with Europe and Asia showing the most significant growth trends.

Vocabulary Learning

autonomous (adj.)
self-governing; independent自主的
Example:European nations have been developing autonomous defense capabilities.
ceasefire (n.)
a temporary stoppage of fighting停火
Example:The ceasefire in Gaza was announced in January 2025.
geopolitical (adj.)
relating to politics, especially international relations, as affected by geographical factors地緣政治的
Example:The geopolitical instability in the region has prompted increased military spending.
inflation (n.)
the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising通貨膨脹
Example:The 42 percent annual inflation has impacted Ukraine's budget.
nominal (adj.)
existing in name only; not actual or substantial名義上的
Example:The budget was nominally increased, but the real terms showed a decline.

Sentence Learning

The aggregate expenditure grew by 2.9 percent relative to 2024, with the United States, China, and Russia collectively accounting for $1.48 trillion, or more than half of the total.
Nominalization: The noun 'expenditure' is a nominalization of the verb 'expend', condensing the action of spending into a noun to focus on the quantity rather than the action.名詞化: 'expenditure' 將動詞 'expend' 的行為濃縮為名詞，讓句子以數量為主而非動作。
However, this reduction is projected to be temporary, as the U.S. Congress has authorized spending exceeding $1 trillion for 2026, with potential increases to $1.5 trillion in 2027 contingent upon the approval of President Donald Trump's budget proposal.
Conditional Clause: The phrase 'contingent upon the approval of President Donald Trump's budget proposal' introduces a condition that must be met for the potential increase to occur, forming a complex conditional expressed with a prepositional phrase.條件子句: 'contingent upon the approval of President Donald Trump's budget proposal' 表示在此條件滿足時才可能發生增額。
European expenditure increased by 14 percent to $864 billion, driven by the conflict in Ukraine and a perceived reduction in U.S. engagement, which has prompted European nations to enhance their autonomous defense capabilities.
Relative Clause: The relative clause 'which has prompted European nations to enhance their autonomous defense capabilities' modifies the preceding noun phrase 'a perceived reduction in U.S. engagement', providing additional information about the cause of the action.關係子句: 'which has prompted...' 修飾前面的名詞短語，說明美國參與減少所引發的影響。
Israel's spending decreased by 4.9 percent to $48.3 billion following a January 2025 ceasefire in Gaza, though it remains 97 percent higher than 2022 levels.
Concessive Clause: The clause 'though it remains 97 percent higher than 2022 levels' expresses a concession, indicating that despite the decrease, the spending is still high.讓步子句: 'though it remains...' 表示儘管有減少，支出仍高於 2022 年。
Global defense spending continues to rise as nations respond to geopolitical instability and shifting security alliances, with Europe and Asia showing the most significant growth trends.
Adverbial Clause: The clause 'as nations respond to geopolitical instability and shifting security alliances' explains the reason for the continued rise in defense spending.原因狀語從句: 'as nations respond...' 說明國際政治不穩與安全同盟變化導致支出上升。