FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Germany’s federal government issued licenses for the export of armaments worth 2.4 billion euros ($2.61 billion) in the first quarter, down 2.4% year on year, according to preliminary figures issued on Monday by the ministry of economic affairs and climate action.
In the first quarter last year the figure stood at 2.88 billion euros.
So far this year, armaments worth 497 million euros went to Ukraine, while 765 million euros was used to equip armed forces in Hungary.
The ministry – led by the Green party – emphasised that close to 90% of total export approvals went to close partners such as European Union countries, NATO countries or countries like Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Australia or New Zealand.
($1 = 0.9182 euros)
(Reporting by Emma-Victoria Farr, editing by)
