US weapons sales to NATO members almost doubled in 2022

The United States' weapons sales to NATO member states in 2022 have shown a drastic increase as countries react to fears caused by the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia.

Foreign Policy magazine reported on Thursday that US arms sales to NATO almost doubled this past year as the war between Russia and Ukraine prompted other European countries into purchasing more weapons.

According to an analysis of two years of data from the US Defense Department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency by the magazine, US arms sales had increased from $15.5 billion in 2021 to $28 billion in 2022.

The magazine concluded that the sharp uptick in the US arms sales to NATO countries reflected a massive shift in Europe’s security policy after Russia launched what Moscow has been describing as a special operation aimed to “de-Nazify” Ukraine’s pro-Russia eastern territories.

It said that after some European countries allowed their military capabilities to atrophy for decades, the war in Ukraine has now shaken Europe into a scramble to rapidly boost military spending.

In the meantime, the US military-industrial complex has emerged as the key beneficiary of the war in Ukraine.

Reports in US media have confirmed that American weapons manufacturers were reaping huge profits from the war in Ukraine as the demands for weapons and ammunition increased.

The Associated Press reported in September that US military officials had told the agency that the Pentagon was getting more requests for weapons, including the high-tech, multiple-launch rocket system that Ukrainian forces have used against Russian ammunition depots and other supplies.

Media reports say in addition to the weapons sold by the US to its allies, Washington has also sent more than $110 billion worth of military aid to Kiev since February.

ME