Europe leads global defence spending rise, awakening to security deficit | Military News

Europe led a record international rise in defence spending last year, according to a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

European expenses rose in real terms by 17 percent to $693m, spearheading a global rise of 9.4 percent to $2.7 trillion, marking the highest level of defence spending since the fall of communism in Europe.

Russia’s war in Ukraine was the principal driver of the new trend, SIPRI said on Monday.

“The rapid spending increases among…