La Francia consolida la sua posizione di secondo esportatore di armi più grande del mondo

**Ukraine has become the leading buyer of weapons on a European continent driven to rearm by the Russian threat. The US remains by far the leading supplier to the international war market.**

It will come as a surprise to no one that Ukraine became the world’s leading arms importer between 2020 and 2024, up from fourth place at the end of 2023; its imports increased almost 100-fold compared with the previous five years, which were nonetheless marked by the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and a latent war in the Donbas. This new data is at the top of the annual report on trade in military equipment published on Monday, March, 10 by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). For its part, France has consolidated its position as the second largest exporter (9.6% of the total), ahead of Russia (7.8%) but far behind the United States (43%).

The volume of imports-exports has remained more or less at the same level since 2010, but there has been a reorientation, especially from 2020 onward: What is destined for Europe and the Americans (the US, Brazil, Canada) goes less to Asia-Oceania (-21%) and the Middle East, two regions where most countries, in a phase of rearmament in the face of multiple threats (China, Iran), had massively rearmed, most notably Japan in recent years.

The threat is not war. With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Old Continent is the only region in the world where a high-intensity conflict between two regular armies is taking place. Some 35 countries supply Kyiv with equipment, 45% of which comes from American manufacturers, and more than two-thirds of which is immediately available second-hand. In other words, the suspension of aid decreed by Washington will be dramatic from the summer onward for the attacked country.

European imports increased by 155% over the last five years compared to the previous period. While the North Atlantic Treaty Organization [risks disintegrating under pressure from Donald Trump](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/03/09/article-5-the-pillar-of-nato-undermined-by-donald-trump_6738973_4.html), its European member countries have increased their dependence on US arms supplies, which have doubled since 2020, SIPRI said. Uncle Sam, which sells to 107 countries, accounts for 43% of the world total, compared with 35% 10 years ago, notably for hundreds of combat aircraft (F-35) and medium and long-range strike systems (Patriot).

**Read the full article here:** [**https://www.lemonde.fr/en/economy/article/2025/03/09/france-consolidates-its-position-as-the-world-s-second-largest-arms-exporter_6738982_19.html**](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/economy/article/2025/03/09/france-consolidates-its-position-as-the-world-s-second-largest-arms-exporter_6738982_19.html)

French weapons are real FAMAS

Please remember and keep in mind that all this European spin on remilitarization and armament only works if a WINNING military power is achieved.

Size is not the main issue, in fact it almost does not matter. Budget and total count of money spent does not matter IF you lose the war. We need a WINNER military. For war, if you go in wherever and you lose ALL is lost regardless the quantity.

In fact, this is the main issues with the US military and their bigger mistake of self-perception. They are losers. They do not have won wars outside a coalition. Yes they are big. Yes They spend. But they LOSE wars.

Can we give you a call? (Canada).

did they stop exporting to russia yet?