40 percent increase: German government breaks record for arms exports

Export of war weapons - 40 percent increase: German government breaks record for arms exports

The German government has approved arms exports worth at least 11.71 billion euros this year, setting a new record. The previous high of 9.35 billion euros from 2021 was already exceeded by 25 percent in mid-December, according to an answer from the Ministry of Economic Affairs to a question from Bundestag member Sevim Dagdelen from the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance. Compared to the previous year, the increase was as much as 40 percent. At 4.15 billion euros, more than a third of the approved exports went to Ukraine for the defensive fight against the Russian invaders.

Turning point for arms exports too

The figures relate to the period from January 1 to December 12, 2023, during which the traffic light approved the export of war weapons worth 6.15 billion euros and other military equipment worth 5.57 billion euros. Almost 90 percent is accounted for by EU and NATO states, Ukraine and states that are treated in the same or similar way as NATO states in terms of arms export controls - for example Japan, Australia and South Korea.

For other so-called third countries such as Israel, the United Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia, the German government released 1.76 billion euros worth of German-made weapons and other military equipment.

At the urging of the SPD and the Greens, the coalition government had actually intended to curb arms exports and introduce a control law to this end. Then came the U-turn in arms policy with the war in Ukraine. The self-imposed ban on arms deliveries to an ongoing war was overturned by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in his "Zeitenwende" speech on February 27, 2022 - a breach of taboo.

In the first year of the war, arms deliveries worth 2.24 billion euros were approved for Ukraine, including air defense systems and heavy artillery. This year, Leopard 2 main battle tanks were added to the list, which the German government provided after much hesitation. Export licenses for Ukraine rose to 4.15 billion euros.

Exports worth more than seven billion euros even without Ukraine

However, this is not the only reason for the high total value. Even without Ukraine, the German government approved exports worth well over seven billion euros. For comparison: in the 16 years of Chancellor Angela Merkel's (CDU) government, the seven billion mark was only exceeded three times.

In the ranking of the most important recipient countries, Ukraine is followed by five NATO states: Norway (1.20 billion euros), Hungary (1.03 billion euros), the UK (654.9 million euros), the USA (545.4 million euros) and Poland (327.9 million euros).

Export of war weapons: 40 percent increase: German government breaks record for arms exports

Israel is in seventh place with deliveries worth 323.2 million euros, around ten times as much as in the whole of 2022 at 32 million euros. The majority of the more than 200 individual licenses for Israel were issued following the Hamas terrorist attack on the country on 7 October, according to earlier information from the ministry. In particular, this relates to components for air defense and communications equipment.

Apart from Israel, only one country in the top ten that is not a member of NATO is South Korea (256.4 million euros). Once again this year, arms deliveries to countries in the Arab world were permitted on a much smaller scale, including the United Arab Emirates (78.2 million euros up to November 30), Egypt (40.3 million), Qatar (15.1 million) and Saudi Arabia (13.3 million). This is the result of a further response from the ministry to a question from Dagdelen. Exports to these countries are particularly controversial due to the human rights situation there and their involvement in regional conflicts.

Foreign policy expert Dagdelen sharply criticized the arms export record. "Instead of approving arms exports to war zones and areas of tension around the world on a piecework basis and fueling the senseless war of attrition in Ukraine with ever new gifts of weapons that have to be paid for dearly by the population here, the Ampel should finally start making the necessary investments in infrastructure and education in Germany," she demanded.