Global spending on nuclear weapons rose by 13% to a record $91.4B in 2023, $10.7B more compared to the previous year, according to estimates by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).
All nine nuclear-armed countries increased their spending on nuclear weapons, with the US showing the largest increase of almost 18% to $51.5B compared to 2022, more than all other countries combined, the report says.
The report reveals that while the global number of nuclear warheads continues to fall, the number of operational nuclear warheads is on the rise, with the increase in US spending primarily due to the growing threat from countries such as Russia, China, and North Korea. While the US would prefer a world without nuclear weapons, they are an ultimate security guarantee for the free world and a means of maintaining peace amid increasingly tense international relations.
ICAN's figures are obscene, completely unacceptable, and mainly driven by the US arms spending surge. However, UK spending also rose significantly due to the arms lobby's increasing influence on government decisions. This is in blatant contradiction to the slogans of freedom and democracy and represents a massive waste of taxpayers' money. People want a peaceful future and demand a policy that is geared towards their interests, not those of the arms companies.
ICAN's figures underline the need for the nine nuclear-armed states to finally join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Not only could the tens of billions end global hunger, the resources could also be used to address other pressing issues such as climate change and biodiversity loss. The nuclear states' new arms race threatens the future of all humanity and must be stopped.