“After two record years, in 2025 the number of licenses for the export of German weapons has significantly decreased.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Illustrative photo from Getty Images Source: “European truth” with reference to Spiegel
Details: Between January 1 and December 8, 2025, the German government authorized the export of arms and other military equipment worth 8.40 billion euros, according to the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy’s response to a request from the Left Party.
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In 2024, the volume of approved licenses was a record 13.33 billion euros, and in 2023 – 12.15 billion euros.
The German news agency dpa notes that the letter of State Secretary Thomas Steffen indicates a significant decrease in arms exports to Ukraine – 1.14 billion euros (while last year it was 8.15 billion euros).
A spokeswoman for the ministry explained to dpa that the current support to Ukraine is partly based on previously granted permits.
“In addition, funds for Ukraine are directed to long-term projects, not all of which will lead to the immediate receipt of export licenses, but only later,” the spokeswoman added.
She noted that arms export licenses are not required for all military support services – this was also the case the previous year. But she reminded that Ukraine is increasingly investing in its own weapons production.
As you know, since the change of the German government, a detailed list of arms deliveries to Ukraine has not been published. The new government of the CDU/CSU and SPD explained that the aggressor should not know about the military support of Ukraine.
Under the new German government, export licenses were issued for a total amount of 5.39 billion euros. Among the importing countries are Norway (1.31 billion euros) and Turkey (with the highest figure since 1999 of 726 million euros).
For Ukraine, this amount is 483 million euros.
Arms supplies to Turkey, a NATO partner, are controversial because of the country’s human rights situation, as well as the international actions of the government in Ankara. After Turkey’s invasion of Syria in 2016, export licenses were significantly reduced and in subsequent years they amounted to only a few tens of millions of euros. However, under the previous coalition government, they had already risen to more than €250 million last year. The current coalition government finally reversed course in July, giving the green light to the export of Eurofighter combat aircraft.
Prehistory:
- The UK is set to export arms worth a record €22 billion in 2025, and the government says “that’s not the limit yet”.
- German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced at the last meeting of “Ramstein” about the intention to transfer Sidewinder missiles to Ukraine to strengthen air defense.