Catalina Espinosa
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Europe and the EU
Get in touch with us nowEU Military Defense: annual defense investments in the EU 2005-2022
Investments in military defense have increased rapidly since 2014, during which time they more than doubled, reaching 58 billion Euros in 2022. The security situation in Europe has deteriorated in recent years, with tensions growing between the EU member states, a majority of whom are members of NATO, and Russia, the largest non-EU military power on the continent.
Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, launched in February 2022, but with roots in its annexation of Crimea in 2014, will likely lead to investments in military technology and hardware rapidly increasing once again over the 2020s in the European Union, particularly considering the large amount of military aid sent to Ukraine.
The 58 billion Euros spent by member states in 2022 represents 24 percent of the EU's total defense spending, which reached 214 billions Euros in the year. Within this investment spending, member states prioritized the procurement of military equipment, rather than research and development, which reflects the destabilized geopolitical situation on the European continent.
