United States tops nuclear weapons spending, global arsenal expands

A report by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) says nine nuclear‑armed states increased their nuclear weapons spending by 19 % in 2025. The United States spent $69.2 billion, more than the other eight nuclear powers combined, followed by China ($13.5 bn), the United Kingdom ($12.6 bn) and Russia ($9.5 bn). ICAN calculated that the money spent in the past three years could have fed two million people for a day and funded the United Nations regular budget for 32 years.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) notes that, despite a slight drop to about 12 200 nuclear warheads worldwide in 2025, modernisation continues. All nine nuclear states have added new warheads and delivery systems, including missiles and cruise projectiles. Finland and Sweden, historically neutral, have shifted toward NATO‑aligned nuclear exercises after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The last remaining START treaty between the United States and Russia expired in February 2024, and countries are increasingly ignoring disarmament commitments. North Korea is estimated to have around 60 operational warheads with material for at least 30 more. China is expanding its silo network and displayed a full nuclear triad on a 2025 parade, signalling rapid growth of its nuclear capability.