International spending on nuclear weapons up 13% amid Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Hamas wars

International spending on nuclear weapons increased 13% in 2023 to $91.4 billion, according to calculations from the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) pressure group published this June.

The increase of $10.7 billion is largely attributed to an increase in the United States’s defense budget. 

While the US may have contributed most to the increased nuclear weapons budget, all nine nuclear-armed countries are spending more.

China’s 2023 nuclear weapons spending, still falling behind the US’s, reached $11.9 billion and Russia’s $8.3 billion. Both countries have seen increased tensions with the United States, over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s alleged espionage attempts.

The United Kingdom, an ally of the US, has also purchased $8.1 billion worth of nuclear weaponry in 2023. Israel purchased only $1.1 billion’s worth in 2023, with only Pakistan ($1 billion) and North Korea ($0.9 billion) purchasing less. 

How much has the purchase of nuclear weaponry actually increased in recent years?

 ICAN reported that over the last 5 years, nuclear weapons spending increased by $23.2 billion (34%.) 

Exceeding the trend, the US increased spending by 45% and the UK by 43%.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute claimed that the number of active nuclear warheads has increased to 9585, mostly attributed to China developing its arsenal to 500 warheads from 410.

90% of all nuclear warheads remain in possession of the United States and Russia, with Russia holding 4380 of them and the US holding 3708.