Nuclear weapons spending hits $119 billion in 2025, driven by U.S. surge

A study by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) finds that the nine nations possessing nuclear arsenals are set to spend a record $119 billion on their nuclear weapons programmes in 2025, a 19 % rise from the previous year. The United States leads with $69.2 billion, followed by China ($13.5 billion), the United Kingdom ($12.6 billion) and Russia ($9.5 billion). The report warns of a new, decades‑long arms race and notes that artificial‑intelligence could hasten decisions on nuclear use. ICAN program director Suzy Schninder said she is “terrified” by the scale of the spending, adding that the U.S. plan to invest nearly $1 trillion over the 2025‑2034 decade could fund the UN budget thirty‑two times over.