Germany Approves Record €12.8 Billion in Weapons Exports, Majority for Ukraine

Germany has set a new record in arms approvals, authorising €12.8 billion ($14.9 billion) in weapons exports in 2024, with the bulk directed towards supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia. The figures were contained in a report endorsed by the federal cabinet on Wednesday.

According to the report, €8.15 billion worth of defence products — representing 64 percent of the total — were approved for Ukraine alone. Deliveries for the year also hit an unprecedented level, with goods worth €13.37 billion actually supplied.

The breakdown showed that 86 percent of approvals went to European Union and NATO members as well as allied partner nations such as Ukraine, Singapore, and South Korea. The list of authorised exports included tracked and wheeled military vehicles, bombs, torpedoes, missile systems, and warships.

Not all requests were granted. The German government turned down 62 applications from countries such as Pakistan, Thailand, and Malaysia.

Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil underscored Berlin’s continued support for Kyiv, noting that Germany — Ukraine’s biggest military backer after the United States — plans to provide €9 billion in military assistance this year and in 2026.

“As long as this war continues, we will stand by Ukraine’s side, because it is also about our freedom and our security,” Klingbeil said during a recent visit to Kyiv.

Ukraine was also the top recipient in 2023, when Germany approved a total of €12.1 billion in weapons exports.