Global military spending reaches record levels of U.S.A. leads nearly $1 trillion

Topping the list lies the United States with a $968 billion protection budget, nearly four times more than China, which ranks second with 235 billion dollars. Russia ranks third with $1 145.9 billion, despite continued economic challenges and war in Ukraine.

Among the European states, Germany and the United Kingdom have, respectively, shared 86 billion and $81.1 billion, followed by France, Italy and Poland a reflection of NATO's increased commitments in the background of tensions with Russia.

India (74.4 mld) and Saudi Arabia (71.7 mld) are strengthening their military power in unstable regions, while Japan, South Korea, Australia and Israel appear as significant contributors to the strategic balance of Indo-Peace and Middle East.

Ukraine, with a budget of 28.4 billion dollars, has one of the largest defence regulations in relation to GDP, as a result of its war with Russia.

Among the smaller but strategically important countries are Turkey (14.3 mld), Taiwan (18.9 mld) and Singapore (15.2 mld), which continue to invest vigorously in security.

Experts stress that this year's figures reflect a globalised trend of military strengthening, driven by geopolitical uncertainty, technological competitions and increased perception that defence is a vital priority in an increasingly unstable world. /Periscopi/