The world "prepares" nuclear weapons - Global spending in this sector increased by 11%
Global spending on nuclear weapons rose sharply in 2024, with the world’s nine nuclear-armed states increasing their budgets by 11%, according to a new report from the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). The total reached $100.2 billion, $10 billion more than the previous year, with most of the funds going towards modernizing and, in some cases, expanding nuclear arsenals.
The report highlighted the huge gap between nuclear spending and other global priorities. "Nuclear-armed states could have paid the United Nations budget 28 times with what they spent on building and maintaining nuclear weapons by 2024," the report said.
The United States accounted for more than half of all nuclear weapons spending, with a staggering $56.8 billion spent in 2024 alone, a $5.3 billion increase from the previous year. This amount exceeded the combined nuclear spending of the next eight countries.
China came in second with a nuclear spending of about $12.5 billion, while Britain came in third with $10.4 billion, marking an increase of $2.2 billion. Other states that possess nuclear arsenals include France, Russia, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea.
While geopolitical tensions, particularly the war in Ukraine, have influenced defense strategies in Europe, experts say the significant increase in spending appears to be closely linked to long-term military contracts and the high cost of developing nuclear systems.
"In terms of increased spending in the UK and France, we have noticed, at least in the rhetoric of political leaders, references to the ongoing war in Ukraine. This may play an important role. But the driving forces appear to be structural costs and existing programs, not immediate security concerns," they explain.
Britain and several NATO allies have identified Russia as the main security threat to Europe, prompting a reassessment of defense priorities and, in some cases, commitments to increase military spending as a share of GDP.
The report questions the necessity and sustainability of such spending levels, urging nuclear-armed states to shift their focus to disarmament and diplomacy.
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