Over €13 billion

Record value for German arms exports

A German Marder tank

(Bild: Michael Sohn/AP)

Arms deliveries to Ukraine have led to a new record for German arms exports in 2024. Last year, the government approved exports of weapons and military equipment worth €13.33 billion - more than ever before!

At 8.15 billion euros, well over half of this went to Ukraine for the defensive fight against the Russian invaders.

The figures are based on an answer from the Ministry of Economic Affairs to a question from BSW member of parliament Sevim Dagdelen, which is available to the German Press Agency. The ministry had already published preliminary export figures for 2024 on 18 December, and now the statistics for the entire year are available.

Record figure for 2023 even exceeded
In their coalition negotiations, the SPD, Greens and FDP had actually resolved to curb arms exports and introduce a control law to this end. Then the Russian invasion of Ukraine led to a U-turn in arms policy. Germany became Ukraine's second-largest arms supplier.

By 2023, export licenses for military equipment had already reached a high of 12.13 billion euros, which was exceeded by almost ten percent last year. The share of war weapons was 61 percent. The second most important recipient country after Ukraine was Singapore with 1.21 billion euros. It was followed by Algeria (558.7 million euros), the USA (319.9 million euros) and Turkey (230.8 million euros).

Deliveries to Turkey at highest level since 2006
Arms deliveries to NATO partner Turkey are particularly controversial due to the human rights situation there, but also because of the international actions of the government in Ankara. Following the invasion of Turkish troops in Syria in 2016, export licenses were significantly reduced. Now, at just under 231 million euros, they are back at their highest level since 2006. The change of course was already apparent at the end of September, when the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Green politician Robert Habeck announced that torpedoes, guided missiles and components for submarines had once again been approved for Turkey on a larger scale.

Israel was also among the ten most important recipient countries for the German arms industry in 2024. However, at 161.1 million euros, the export volume halved compared to the previous year. Due to the war in Gaza, where a ceasefire is now in place, arms deliveries to Israel are even more controversial than those to Turkey. The German government justifies this by stating that Israel's security is part of Germany's reason of state due to its historical responsibility for the Holocaust.