NATO’s 5% Pledge: An Obscene Betrayal of Global Needs

June 27, 2025

By Medea Benjamin, World BEYOND War,

At this week’s NATO summit in The Hague, leaders announced an alarming new goal: push military spending to 5% of nations’ GDP by 2035. Framed as a response to rising global threats, particularly from Russia and terrorism, the declaration was hailed as a historic step. But in truth, it represents a major step backwards—away from addressing the urgent needs of people and the planet, and toward an arms race that will impoverish societies while enriching weapons contractors.

No to NATO protest at The Hague, June 22, 2025.