Ukraine ranks among countries with largest military budgets

Ukraine has joined the ranks of countries with the largest military budgets. Against the backdrop of the ongoing war, defence spending has risen to record levels, allowing the country to surpass many developed nations. Find out which countries topped the list and how the structure of global military spending changed in 2025

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In 2025, Ukraine ranked among the world leaders in military spending for the first time, taking a place in the top 10 in the global ranking of countries with the largest defence budgets. This was reported by the analytical portal Visual Capitalist.

Who are the leaders?

The United States remains at the top of the list, with a record military budget of $962 billion this year. For comparison, this amount is almost four times higher than the defence spending of China, which ranks second with $246 billion. At the same time, the total US budget exceeds the combined spending of the next ten countries on the list.

According to analysts, about 40% of US spending goes to military personnel, medical care and social programmes. Significant amounts are also allocated to the development and purchase of modern weapons, unmanned systems, long-range missiles and submarines.

Russia ranks third in the ranking with a defence budget of $150 billion, which also confirms the country's ongoing militarisation amid geopolitical tensions.

Among European countries, Germany has the largest budget at $109 billion. The United Kingdom and France also maintain their positions among the countries with the highest military spending.

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Where did Ukraine rank?

Ukraine, which has been resisting a full-scale Russian invasion for more than three years, has allocated $54 billion to defence. This has allowed it to surpass countries such as France, South Korea and Italy. Such significant spending is linked to the need to constantly strengthen defence capabilities and support the army in the context of ongoing hostilities.

A total of 15 countries on the list spent more than $2 trillion on defence, accounting for about 75% of global military spending. At the same time, analysts note that military budgets are growing in virtually all regions of the world, especially in Europe and the Middle East. Conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip continue to shape security priorities and force governments to review defence spending.

Top 15 countries with the largest military budgets in 2025:

United States — $962 billion

China — $246 billion

Russia — $150 billion

Germany — $109 billion

United Kingdom — $81 billion

India — $79 billion

Saudi Arabia — $78 billion

Japan — $55 billion

Ukraine — $54 billion

France — $47 billion

South Korea — $45 billion

Italy — $44 billion

Israel — $37 billion

Poland — $35 billion

Australia — $34 billion

Reminder! Ukrainians continue to live in wartime conditions, tired but united. People have not lost faith in the country's key institutions, and although stress has become part of everyday life, hope has not disappeared — it has changed. Find out how many Ukrainians continue to believe in victory and how they feel about other equally important issues.

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