The upcoming NATO summit in The Hague on June 24–25 could have profound consequences for millions of European citizens.
If the proposal to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP is approved, NATO member states in Europe alone would collectively allocate over 500 billion euros more per year, nearly tripling current expenditures. Even if the increase were capped at 3.5% of GDP, the additional annual spending would still amount to 270 billion euros.
We stand at a pivotal moment that demands a clear decision about where we stand. From the Russian-Ukrainian conflict to the atrocities in Gaza to rising tensions in Iran, the European Union has exhibited an unprecedented level of political inconsistency.
In the face of the pandemic’s immense tragedy, Europe responded with bold economic and social investments to safeguard families and businesses, ensuring a swift recovery rooted in solidarity. Yet today, in response to international instability, Europe is pursuing a precarious rearmament strategy, one left to the discretion of individual member states. Thirteen European countries have already urged the European Commission to invoke the safeguard clause to expand defence funding. As the NATO summit concludes, others are likely to follow.
Diverting these funds from critical sectors (healthcare, education, public transport, and investments in small and medium-sized businesses) would undermine economic and social stability, leaving our nations more vulnerable rather than safer.
We strongly reject the notion that rearmament leads to greater security. In reality, it has the opposite effect. When states stockpile weapons in an attempt to protect themselves, other nations perceive a threat and respond by increasing their own military spending. This cycle of escalation fosters growing insecurity, not safety.
History has shown that when tensions spiral into a continuous exchange of threats, war is no longer just a distant possibility—it becomes a tragic reality.
Millions of citizens have voiced their strong opposition to the push to militarize the European economy. This resistance extends to the 800-billion-euro plan introduced by Ursula von der Leyen, the redirection of cohesion funds toward defence, the transformation of the European Investment Bank (EIB) into a financial institution that supports defence-related projects, and, most critically, the proposal to repurpose the remaining resources of Next Generation EU, originally intended to strengthen the European social model, for yet more military spending.
In a world where nations vie for nuclear status, peace and dialogue remain the most valuable investment in security and the strongest antidote to the deepening antagonism between opposing blocs, which is slowly but inexorably pushing us toward a global conflict.
Yet, without genuine public debate at the European and national levels, we are witnessing – within mere weeks – the transformation of the European welfare system, built over decades, into a machinery of war. The future of our youth and political choices could become tied to a war economy, one that, to sustain military industries, will demand constant conflict driving Europe further away from its true purpose: security through diplomacy, social progress, and the protection of fundamental rights.
This shift is unacceptable. As political representatives, but above all as European citizens, we have a duty to resist, on behalf of the countless individuals who have already taken to the streets and those who will continue to do so, because a different future is possible.
The urgency has never been greater, we have reached the point of no return. The decisions made at the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague demand that the determination of countless European citizens be transformed into concrete political action.
I call on all European political representatives who oppose this reckless arms race, those who recognize that the moment to act is now, who believe in defending the values of peace and dialogue among nations. Let us unite in The Hague on these critical days to give voice to a different vision for Europe.
Through discussion and collaboration, let us bring our ideas forward, fostering dialogue in The Hague to reclaim and rebuild our future, one threatened by the dangerous path of militarization.
Let’s come together on June 24 at 2:00 PM at the Dutch Parliament in The Hague. Thanks to the generous support of our friends from the Dutch PS party – leader Jimmy Dijk, Party President Lieke van Rossum, and international leader Gerrie Elfrink, whom I sincerely thank – we have been given a space for this crucial discussion.
We will gather in one of the pillars of European democracy, just steps away from where leaders will be making decisions that could shape our collective future, decisions that risk steering Europe toward rearmament and escalating conflict.
Let’s seize this opportunity to make our voices heard and stand for a different path.
“One day, our children will hold us accountable for the wrong choices made without their voice. We must act now—before it is too late—to oppose them.”
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