"On the brink of a new nuclear arms race"

Spending on nuclear weapons higher than ever in 2025

An intercontinental nuclear missile of the Jars type on a missile launcher during a Russian maneuver on May 21, 2026.

Image: Keystone/EPA/Russian Defence Ministry

According to ICAN, spending on nuclear weapons could end world hunger or finance the UN budget for decades. Who invests how much?

DPA

09.06.2026, 06:03

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Last year, the nine nuclear powers invested 19 percent more in nuclear arsenals than in the previous year.
This is according to a report by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).
ICAN puts the total amount at 119 billion dollars.
In 2025, the USA spent more money on nuclear weapons than the eight other countries with such weapons combined.
According to ICAN, Russia has the most nuclear weapons with 5420.

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According to a study, global spending on nuclear weapons rose to a record level last year. The nine nuclear powers together spent almost 119 billion dollars on their nuclear arsenals last year, reported the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) on Tuesday. This is an increase of 19 percent compared to the previous year. This means that these countries together spent a good 3,200 euros per second on their nuclear arsenals last year. "We are facing a new nuclear arms race," warned Ican.

The organization ICAN was the driving force behind the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. It received the Nobel Peace Prize for this in 2017. The treaty came into force in 2021.

In 2025, the USA would have spent more money on nuclear weapons than the eight other countries with such weapons combined, reports ICAN. They would have invested a total of 69.2 billion dollars, followed by China with 13.5 billion dollars. The UK has replaced Russia in third place, with investments of 12.6 billion dollars. In Russia, the figure was 9.5 billion dollars.

Who has the most nuclear weapons

According to ICAN, Russia has the most nuclear weapons with 5420. This is followed by the USA with 5042, China with 620, France with 300, the UK with 225, India with 190, Pakistan with 170, Israel with 90 and North Korea with 60.

ICAN reports that the investments of a single day could ensure that two million people no longer have to worry about their next meal. The funds from the last three years alone could have ended hunger in the world. "The expenditure in 2025 could have covered the regular budget of the United Nations for 32 years," the report states.