By Michael Fischer, dpa I Sunday, June 30, 2024
BERLIN – German arms exports have reached a new record level for the second year in a row, mostly due to continued and growing military aid for Ukraine, according to the Economy Ministry.
Between January 1 and June 18, the German government approved a total of weapons exports worth at least €7.48 billion ($8.01 billion), up 30% from the first half of last year, the ministry revealed in response to a query by lawmaker Sevim Dağdelen from the populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance.
Some 65% of the exports, worth €4.88 billion, were destined for Ukraine to support the country in its fight against Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion launched more than two years ago.
In 2023, the German government set a new record for arms exports, according to official figures, authorizing sales worth €12.2 billion mainly due to assistance sent to Ukraine.
This year saw Saudi Arabia returning to the top five weapons importers in several years, after Berlin largely halted arms exports to the rich Gulf state over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as well as Riyadh’s involvement in the civil war raging in Yemen.
Khashoggi was brutally killed in the Saudi general consulate in Istanbul by a hit squad.
Berlin has since eased its restrictions on weapons exports to Saudi Arabia again, after the Saudi kingdom withdrew from hostilities in Yemen.
According to the Economy Ministry, Berlin has granted arms sales worth €132.48 million to the country so far this year.
The ministry stressed, however, that the authorizations were granted exclusively for or in connection with joint projects with other EU or NATO partners.
The remaining top five recipients of German weapons exports are Singapore (€1.21 billion), India (€153.75 million) and Qatar (€100 million).
Lawmaker Dağdelen condemned the continued rise in weapons sales. “The massive increase in arms exports to war and crisis zones, not only to Ukraine but also to countries such as Saudi Arabia, is irresponsible,” she said.
