Germany becomes top European defense exporter with €12.8 billion in 2024 mostly directed to Ukraine.

According to information published by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) on August 27, 2025, the federal government approved a record €12.8 billion in arms exports for 2024, with Ukraine as the largest recipient. The figures were detailed in a cabinet-endorsed report presented at the Bendlerblock, the headquarters of Germany’s Ministry of Defence in Berlin. The annual “Rüstungsexportbericht” is considered the most authoritative source on Germany’s defense trade activity, and its preliminary cabinet version already outlines a dramatic shift in Berlin’s role within the global arms market.
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Germany approved a record €12.8 billion in arms exports in 2024, with Ukraine receiving the majority of deliveries including tanks, air defense systems, and artillery as Berlin strengthens its role as a key European weapons supplier (Picture source: German Aid to Ukraine on X).

The report highlights that nearly €8.15 billion worth of military hardware, or 64 percent of the total export volume, was directed to Ukraine as Berlin accelerated support to Kyiv in its war against Russia. This marks the second consecutive year in which Ukraine topped Germany’s defense export chart, following €12.1 billion in approvals in 2023. Crucially, actual arms deliveries in 2024 went beyond the approved value, climbing to €13.37 billion, which underscores Berlin’s capacity to mobilize its defense industrial base for rapid response under wartime conditions. The figures also reveal how Germany’s arms industry has become more tightly integrated into NATO’s collective strategy of sustaining Ukraine’s military effort over the long term.

German arms transfers to Ukraine in 2024 spanned a wide arsenal of advanced systems designed to reinforce both defensive and offensive capabilities. Deliveries included Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks, Marder infantry fighting vehicles, Puma IFVs, and Boxer wheeled armored platforms, complemented by a fleet of armored recovery and engineering vehicles to ensure operational sustainment. For short- and medium-range air defense, Berlin supplied multiple IRIS-T SLM and IRIS-T SLS batteries, Patriot launchers with interceptor missiles, and Skynex short-range systems, filling critical gaps in Ukraine’s layered air defense shield against Russian missile and drone strikes. Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, though older in design, continued to play a central role in countering Iranian-made Shahed drones. On the artillery side, Germany delivered additional PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers, supported by large quantities of 155mm ammunition, precision-guided munitions, and reconnaissance drones, ensuring Kyiv could maintain sustained firepower on the front lines. Collectively, these exports positioned Germany as one of the most decisive enablers of Ukraine’s battlefield resilience.

The report also confirms that a significant share of Germany’s broader arms exports went to NATO allies and trusted partners beyond Europe. In total, 86 percent of licenses were approved for NATO, EU, or closely aligned states, with South Korea and Singapore among the key recipients. South Korea, which maintains a robust defense-industrial relationship with Germany, secured licenses for advanced naval and aerospace components, while Singapore expanded procurement of electronic systems and armored platforms. By contrast, applications from countries such as Pakistan, Thailand, and Malaysia were rejected, reflecting Berlin’s stricter criteria for sales to non-allied states. In total, 62 export applications were denied in 2024, underscoring the government’s insistence on linking defense exports to political reliability and alliance frameworks.

The surge in German arms exports is closely tied to broader political commitments within Berlin’s “Zeitenwende,” the strategic shift announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz in 2022 after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Under this policy, Germany pledged not only to strengthen its own Bundeswehr with a €100 billion modernization fund but also to emerge as a central security guarantor within Europe. The export figures suggest that this transformation is now being felt across the defense sector, with German industry scaling production lines and accelerating delivery cycles to meet urgent wartime demand. Companies such as Rheinmetall, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, Hensoldt, and Diehl Defence have dramatically expanded output, creating new facilities and hiring thousands of additional workers to ensure a steady flow of equipment to both the Bundeswehr and Ukraine.

German Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil reinforced this trajectory during a recent visit to Kyiv, where he pledged a further €9 billion in aid for 2025 and 2026. He described Berlin’s support as essential not only for Ukraine’s survival but also for defending Europe’s broader security architecture against Russian expansionism. His remarks echoed Germany’s growing strategic narrative, framing arms exports not merely as economic transactions but as instruments of deterrence, solidarity, and alliance credibility. Klingbeil insisted that Berlin’s role is to ensure Ukraine has the means to resist aggression for as long as necessary, while also signaling to other partners in Eastern Europe that Germany is committed to their defense.

This expansion of German arms exports is not without domestic debate. Critics from opposition parties and civil society organizations argue that the dramatic growth of the defense export sector risks undermining Germany’s longstanding ethical export guidelines, which traditionally emphasized restraint and careful risk assessments. However, supporters contend that the extraordinary circumstances of Russia’s war against Ukraine have fundamentally changed the security calculus, making Germany’s weapons deliveries not only justified but indispensable for European stability. The government has stressed that its licensing procedures remain robust and that the high number of rejected applications proves that political control over exports has not been diluted.

The full parliamentary version of the “Rüstungsexportbericht 2024” is expected later this year and will provide a more detailed breakdown of contracts, recipient categories, and industrial involvement. Nevertheless, the cabinet’s summary already delivers the clearest evidence to date of how Germany has moved from being a cautious exporter to one of the central arms suppliers within NATO. With export values at unprecedented levels, with Ukraine firmly established as the top recipient, and with Berlin pledging sustained aid well into 2026, the report signals a profound strategic shift in Germany’s defense posture. The transformation is reshaping not only the balance of power in Eastern Europe but also Germany’s global identity as a major military supplier aligned with Western security priorities.