All five geographical regions defined by SIPRI saw rises in military spending for the first time since 2009, with Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Oceania recording particularly large increases.

The PRC's support for Russia's defense industrial base has been identified by NATO as increasing the threat to Euro-Atlantic security, potentially escalating tensions that could lead to a broader conflict.

The United States has activated contingency plans to save Taiwan, which includes the use of tactical nuclear weapons, indicating a potential for nuclear escalation in the region.

The political terror scale, political insecurity, and neighboring country relations have reached their worst score since the inception of the Global Peace Index, suggesting increased potential for conflict escalation.