Arms imports into Europe will multiply by 2022because of the massive delivery to Ukrainethat has become the third world destination for weaponsaccording to a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) published Monday.

With an increase of 93% in one yearimports have also increased due to the increase in military spending in several European countries, such as Poland and Norwaya trend that according to this study will accelerate.

“The invasion has really led to a significant increase in the demand for weapons in Europe, which has not yet shown its full potential and is likely to lead to further increases in imports,” said Pieter Wezeman, co-author of the annual report for more than 20 years, AFP told three decades.

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Excluding Ukraine, the increase in European imports will reach 35% in 2022 according to SIPRI data.

Ukraine, so far a small importer, it became the third largest weapons destination in the world last yearbehind Qatar and India, due to Western aid to fight the Russian invasion.

The former Soviet republic concentrates 31% of arms imports in Europe and 8% worldwide, according to data provided by SIPRI to AFP.

According to the bureau, Kyiv’s imports, including Western donations, will multiply by more than 60 by 2022.

“Full Spectrum”

The increase in European imports was foreseeable, after the start of the invasion of Ukraine, but is accelerating a trend that has been visible for yearsfollowing Moscow’s annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014.

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“European countries have already placed their orders or are planning to do so for all types of weapons. Submarines, fighter jets, drones, anti-tank missiles, guns and radar,” says Wezeman.

“Everything is analyzed because the idea is to strengthen military capabilities across the spectrum of military technology,” he added.

The European Union is finalizing a plan to supply millions of shells to Ukraine and is also working to increase production on the continent. “Fifteen industrialists from eleven countries” will participate in the project, European Commissioner Thierry Breton announced on Monday.

Over the last five years (2018-2022), the period determined by SIPRI to identify trends, European imports have increased by 47% compared to the previous five years. On the other hand, global figures fell by 5%.

In contrast to Europe, the other continents and regions registered a drop in their imports in five years, with a significant drop in Africa (-40%), the Americas (-20%), even Asia (-7 %) and the Middle East (-9%), leading world markets.

Another important fact: The Middle East will become the top destination region for arms exports by 2022, accounting for 32% of the world total.

It surpassed Asia-Pacific (30%), which had held the top spot for years, and Europe (27%).

China arms massively but produces more and more locallywhich, according to SIPRI, reduces exports to Asia.

At the level of importers, Qatar (10% of the total), India (9%) and Ukraine (8%), followed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (7% each), and Pakistan (5%).

In terms of exporters, the United States (40%), Russia (16%), France (11%), China (5%) and Germany (4%) remain the top five.