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From the outset, arms manufacturers eyed this war as a profitable business opportunity. Structural changes took place across the EU, not only to fast-track arms to Ukraine, but also to make more public finance available to the highly-lucrative arms industry.

A war on the EU’s doorstep has justified a shifting of the goalposts with regard to arms companies accessing ever-expanding sources of public and private finance (Photo: STNGR industries) EU and the World The military-industrial complex cashing-in on the Ukraine war Unlock article and share By Niamh Aine Ni Bhriain, Amsterdam, 7 December 2022 12:15 Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 media attention has regularly focused on the military assistance provided by states to bolster Ukraine’s war effort with Nato members delivering almost $40bn [€38bn] in military aid to date. Despite this unprecedented outpouring of support, nine months later the war drags on and there has been little public scrutiny of those who are profiting from the misery — the arms industry.Nato members were already spending 17 times more than Russia on military expenditure before the war and Nato collectively enjoys a superior defence capacity and more sophisticated weaponry. Despite this, since the invasion European leaders have pledged unprecedented increases to their military budget. By mid-May 2022, bloc members had announced almost €20bn in increases with the European Commission considering as a matter of urgency the “short-term need to replenish and expand defence stocks including to compensate for the military assistance to Ukraine”. Similarly, the EU earmarked half a billion euros for joint arms procurement and announced future increases to the European Defence Fund, which finances the research and development of arms. Structural changes were taking place across the EU, not only to fast-track arms to Ukraine, but also to make large pools of public finance available to the highly lucrative arms industry.From the outset arms manufacturers have eyed this war as a profitable business opportunity. To read this story, log in or subscribeEnjoy access to all articles and 25 years of archives, comment and gift articles. Become a member for as low as €1,75 per week.Become a memberAlready a member? Login Unlock article and share Latest from UkraineHow air-defence failures brought down Latvia’s government — and opened the door to Russia to exploit chaosUkraine war entering decisive phase, as Russia finds losses hard to bear (Ukraine Battlefield update, Day 1,546)Latest from EU and the WorldEU fertiliser subsidies plan is blow to Morocco as Brussels shifts to home-made and green productsBrussels to finalise tougher migrant returns and costly detention centres outside EULatest from EU politics‘Manual for autocrats’: how Fico’s rule-of-law breaches put Slovakia in EU sanctions crosshairsMEPs demand EU Commission scrap ‘unlawful’ secrecy on data centres environmental footprintLatest from OpinionWhy blocking the sun to cool the planet is bound to go wrongEurope rolls out the red carpet for AI data centres, as water‑and‑energy backlash spreads A war on the EU’s doorstep has justified a shifting of the goalposts with regard to arms companies accessing ever-expanding sources of public and private finance (Photo: STNGR industries) TopicsUkraine+ Follow topic by emailAuthor Bio Niamh Aine Ni Bhriain is programme coordinator and researcher at the Transnational Institute , the Amsterdam-based NGO founded in 1974 as the international programme of the Washington DC-based Institute for Policy Studies, advocating for justice, democracy, and sustainability.+ Follow author by email