The German government has approved a significant increase in arms exports in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year. This is shown by data from the German Ministry of Economics, cited by DPA, BTA reports.
From January to June, authorities in Berlin approved exports of military equipment and weapons worth a total of 13.87 billion euros. This represents a serious increase against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the efforts of European countries to strengthen their own defense capabilities.
The majority of the approved exports are intended for Germany's allies. In the first six months of the year, around 9 billion euros of the approved deliveries were directed to countries in the European Union and NATO.
The largest recipient of German weapons is Ukraine. Kiev has received approval for arms deliveries worth around 2.5 billion euros, which puts the country in first place among Berlin's partners in the field of military aid.
After Ukraine in the ranking are the United States, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Lithuania. These countries are among Germany's main partners within NATO and European defense coordination.
Israel ranks sixth among the recipients of German weapons. The country has purchased military equipment from Germany for a value of less than 800 million euros. Israel is followed by Latvia, Norway, Estonia and Slovenia.
The increase in German arms exports is mainly related to the changed European security environment after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Germany has gradually increased its military support for Kiev and has begun a large-scale rearmament of its own armed forces.
Berlin provides Ukraine with various types of military equipment, including air defense systems, artillery systems, ammunition and armored vehicles. German authorities say that support for Kiev is part of efforts to protect European security.
At the same time, the growth in arms exports is triggering political debates in Germany about controls on arms sales, especially to countries outside the EU and NATO. The government emphasizes that all permits are considered individually and comply with German and international rules.