The latest report by a Swedish think tank shows that European and East Asian countries significantly increased their weapons imports between 2018 and 2022.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute on Monday released the report on international arms trade.

Imports of major arms by European states rose by 47 percent from the previous five-year period.

European members of NATO increased their imports by 65 percent. The report says, "Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, European states want to import more arms, faster."

The report also says Ukraine became the world's third-biggest importer of major arms during 2022.

In the Indo-Pacific, Japan's imports surged by 171 percent from the 2013-2017 period, followed by South Korea with an increase of 61 percent and Australia with a 23-percent rise.

The report says, "Growing perceptions of threats from China and North Korea have driven rising demand for arms imports" by the three countries, "notably including for long-range strike weapons."

The report adds that the United States is the main supplier for all three.