25 Most Powerful Countries in the World in 2023

Ashar Jawad
15 min read

In This Article:

In this article, we look at the 25 most powerful countries in the world in 2023. To skip our detailed analysis of the global power dynamics, you can head to the 10 Most Powerful Countries in the World in 2023.

A vital lesson the war in Ukraine has illustrated is what the world could look like without American involvement, and what it looks like when Washington flexes its unmatched power. This is not to provide validation to the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, but a Ukraine left on its own support would have quickly succumbed to Russian advances, with Putin’s forces handing out punishments to members of the Ukrainian resistance.

Instead, we are seeing President Zelenskyy named by Time magazine as the 2022 Person of the Year for defending Ukraine and asserting its identity on the global stage. In addition to the resilience of the Ukrainians to fight invasion, Kyiv’s fightback has been significantly made possible by American support in all spheres of power. The United States’ intelligence agencies had warned of a potential invasion from Russia months in advance, which enabled Ukraine to plan effective offensives and strikes against Russian targets.

The Biden administration has provided Ukraine with HIMARS missiles which have proven to be instrumental in repelling Moscow’s assault. The Ukrainian military has used these missiles made by Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) to hit multiple Russian ammunition depots and command posts. Of the $61 billion devoted by the U.S. Congress in 2022 to arm Ukraine, $631 million were awarded to Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) to manufacture new HIMARS for Kyiv. In addition to this, the U.S., in January 2023, announced it would also send Ukraine 31 M1 Abrams tanks worth $400 million. These are produced by General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD).

The situation in Ukraine has forced European countries to aggressively increase their arms procurement, which is likely to boost financial statements of various armament manufacturers. Germany's lower house of parliament approved a defense fund of over $100 billion in June 2022. You can read more on this in our list of the strongest countries in Europe by military power. This was followed by a 10 billion euros worth deal in December with Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) for its F-35 fighter jets. The U.S. is also providing military support to allies in the European Union. In August 2022, General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD) received an order from the American army to deliver 250 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams battle tanks to Poland, costing $1.15 billion.

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