Global Peace Index 2025: Israel and Ukraine Among Top 10 Most Dangerous Countries in the World

According to the “Global Peace Index 2025,” Israel and Ukraine rank among the top ten most unsafe countries in the world.
The report records a collapse in global security and record militarization, directly affecting Jewish and Ukrainian communities.

Peace at a historic low

The Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP)
released the 2025 edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI).

The Global Peace Index, developed by IEP (a global analytic centre headquartered in Sydney with offices in New York, Mexico City and Oxford), is the world’s leading measure of peacefulness. It ranks 163 countries and territories using 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators, revealing global trends, the economic value of peace, and the prospects for sustainable, peaceful societies.

According to the report, Israel ranked 155th, while Ukraine placed second last at 162nd among 163 countries. Only Russia ranked below Ukraine (163rd).

Israel appears in the list of the world’s ten least peaceful countries for the first time, ranking even below Iran (142nd), which is 14 places higher.

The report notes that the world has become less safe for the 13th time in 17 years. Moreover, 2025 marks the sixth consecutive year of declining global peacefulness, making it the most alarming level since World War II.

Israel: militarization and a multi-layered crisis

Key facts

• 155th place overall and 163rd (last) in militarization.
• The highest annual rise in military expenditure among all countries.
• The prolonged war against Hamas has spread to Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and triggered a direct clash with Iran.
• Internal protests and political polarization have increased economic pressure.

Figures and trends

• Defense budget share rose to 12.4 % of GDP.
• Over 63,750 people have died in the Gaza conflict.
• Israel is involved in at least five external conflicts, reflecting a global trend of “exported” violence.

Consequences for Israelis

Deep militarization, budgetary strain, and the threat of regional escalation make internal unity critically important.

“Israel has seen the sharpest rise in militarization over the past year,” notes the IEP report.

Ukraine: the cost of resistance and devastation

Ukraine, ranked 162nd, continues to suffer from the effects of Putin’s aggression. Beyond the frontlines, internal violence and crime have increased due to widespread weapon proliferation and economic collapse.

“Ukraine and Russia have become symbols of the new global disorder,” the report states.

Key facts

• 162nd place overall and 160th in militarization.
• Military expenditure rose to 15.4 % of GDP, arms imports increased by 70 %.
• Internal violence and crime have surged.

The economic price of war

Economic losses from violence exceed 40 % of GDP. Ukraine ranks among the countries with the highest annual conflict-related losses.

Ukraine and the Jewish community

Israelis of Ukrainian origin actively support medical and humanitarian initiatives. NA Novosti shares stories of mutual assistance, showing how the diaspora responds to wartime challenges.

Global fracture: why the world is becoming more dangerous

Contrast: stable Europe and a volatile Middle East

The most peaceful countries are Iceland, Ireland, and Switzerland, with strong institutions, low corruption, and high social cohesion. In contrast, the Middle East and North Africa remain the most unstable regions for the tenth consecutive year.

The Israel conflict has drawn in Syria, Iran, Lebanon, and Yemen.

Global trends: rising violence, militarization, and economic costs

• 78 countries are involved in external conflicts—a post-1945 record.
• In 2024, $19.97 trn in economic losses were due to violence (11.6 % of GDP).
• $9 trn of that amount was military spending.
• 17 countries recorded over 1000 deaths from internal conflict.
• The number of forcibly displaced persons surpassed 122 million.

The world on the brink: a warning to humanity

The world is entering an era of geopolitical fragmentation. 34 countries are intervening in other nations’ affairs, while peacekeeping efforts occupy less than 1 % of global military budgets.

“The world is becoming not only more dangerous but more fragmented,” analysts conclude.

• 84 countries increased military expenditures, reversing a decade-long trend of demilitarization.
• Peacekeeping budgets represent under 1 % of global defense spending.
• Only 4 % of conflicts end in peace treaties.

IEP-identified escalation factors

1. Outside military aid to conflicting parties.
2. Rapid growth in military spending and arms acquisition.
3. Political repression and ethnic exclusion.
4. Information warfare and propaganda.
5. Economic stagnation and debt burdens.
6. International fragmentation and middle-power rivalry.
7. Cutbacks in peacekeeping missions and humanitarian aid.
8. Rise in interstate conflicts within borders.
9. An increasing number of actors engaged in foreign wars.

Top 10 most peaceful countries — 2025

Top 10 most dangerous countries — 2025

Conclusions

The fact that Israel and Ukraine are among the world’s most dangerous countries demands a strategic reassessment. The Jewish and Ukrainian peoples share a common history, suffering and struggle for freedom; today’s challenges make their solidarity more valuable than ever.

• Israel and Ukraine officially belong to the top ten most dangerous countries on the planet.
• The global crisis of peacefulness is fueled by wars, militarization, and economic pressure.

NA — News of Israel will continue to track threats, analyse trends, and tell stories about people building bridges even in the darkest times.