The Hague 2025
➡️ NATO SUMMIT in The Hague 2025
Leaders from NATO member countries gathered in The Hague in June 2025 to discuss strategies for countering cybersecurity threats, enhancing military readiness, and strengthening partnerships with non-member nations.
This meeting resulted in a significant shift in national security, as, under massive pressure from Trump, all members of Nato, except Spain, agreed to increase their defence spending to 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035.
Even Nato's current 2% target, which many Nato members already fail to meet, is socially and politically controversial. This move comes just after the EU announced reforms to its defence strategy with its "Readiness 2030" initiative, aiming to mobilise €800 billion for defence spending by 2030.
Jump straight to our resources on the 2025 ➡️ Nato Summit
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Nato's 5% Spending Pledge
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The Arms Trade - Business of Death
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The War on Gaza
Nato's renewed focus on military expansion is a dangerous shift that will escalate tensions, promote weapons stockpiling, and cause great concern to non-NATO members. This increase to 5% will also divert limited resources from other critical areas of society, such as education, welfare, and healthcare.
The increase will be made up of 3.5% of GDP for direct military expenditure and 1.5% for related infrastructure. In 2024, Nato spent $1.5 trillion on the military, this equates to more than half of global military spending!!!
In terms of military strength, NATO is already significantly stronger than Russia and China combined.
In 2035, if members comply with the spending goal, the total military expenditure of Nato would reach $13.4 trillion, an incomprehensible amount of money. The 5% goal will leave future generations with insurmountable debt, collapsed social provisions, and a much more dangerous world.
Trump Appeasement
Nato is currently facing many difficult questions, none of which were answered by this meeting. Is the U.S. committed to European security? Does Trump intend to pressure Russia into a ceasefire? Do all members agree to continue supporting Ukraine? How should allies approach the potential threat of China?
The meeting was instead merely an exercise in placating Trump and his threat to withdraw from Nato unless other members increased their contributions. For years, he has accused the EU of using the U.S. as a 'security blanket', stating that it takes on an unfair financial burden in comparison to other allies.
The main session of the meeting was cut to just two and a half hours to accommodate Trump, giving allies just 5 minutes to voice their opinions. Spain was the only member not to bow down to his demands. Sighting domestic spending concerns, an incompatible vision, and that an increase for Spain would "not only be unreasonable but also counterproductive".
The Counter Summit
A Counter-Summit for Peace and Justice was organised as an alternative to the Nato Summit to bring together activists, researchers, politicians, artists, and engaged citizens for an international conversation about peace and justice and to provide a space for people to voice their concerns about the significant shift taking place among Nato members.
The counter-summit brought together key figures from the peace movement, including TNI, Progressive International, Extinction Rebellion, CND, IPPNW, World Beyond War, Stop ReArm, the European Network Against Arms Trade, Doctors for Peace and many other inspiring organisations.
During a sit-down demonstration at a petrol station, police detained climate and anti-war activists from Extinction Rebellion, whose goal was to disrupt the NATO summit and protest against the new defence spending target.
Thousands of concerned citizens around the world marched to oppose NATO's military expansion at the expense of both people and the planet.
Common Security for a Better World
The 5% GDP target driven by a power and profit-hungry Trump is collective madness that will drive Europe to ruin.
Arms companies are the only winners who are set to profit enormously from the planned expenditure increase. Instead of investing in an arms race, we should focus on building a peaceful and cooperative future.
We need to shift our focus to common security, dialogue, and peace instead.
Author: Rachael Mellor, 17.07.25 licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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