BERLIN

Germany's arms exports in 2024 have shattered all previous records, reaching an unprecedented €13.2 billion ($13.7 billion), according to official figures released late Wednesday.

The Federal Ministry of Economics announced that Ukraine remained the largest recipient of German arms, accounting for €8.1 billion, or 62% of total approved exports.

“These figures demonstrate that we stand firmly by Ukraine's side in its defense against the Russian war of aggression. Military aid for Ukraine is also in our own security policy interest,” the ministry said in a statement, referring to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which recently marked its 1,000th day.

Germany's annual arms exports beat the previous record of €12.2 billion set in 2023. The total exports were made up of nearly €8.1 billion for weapons of war and €5.1 billion in other military equipment.

After Ukraine, major recipients included Singapore with €1.2 billion in approvals and Algeria with €559 million, and the US with nearly €299 million.

The data also revealed continued arms exports to Israel, despite growing calls for Berlin to impose an arms embargo over the Israeli government's genocidal war on Gaza.

In 2024, Berlin approved military equipment worth €161 million for Israel, according to official figures. The German government in March temporarily suspended its weapons supply to Israel but resumed deliveries several months later after getting assurances from Tel Aviv over their use.

Israel is currently facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its actions in Gaza, where over 45,000 Palestinians have been killed, and over 100,000 others wounded, most of them women and children.

Amnesty International released a report this month stating that “Israel has committed and is continuing to commit genocide against Palestinians” in the occupied Gaza Strip. The human rights group called on countries, including Germany, to immediately halt arms exports to Israel, warning them that they “are at risk of becoming complicit in genocide.”