Dutch protesters who regularly call for an end to military aid to Ukraine will descend on The Hague next week to protest the upcoming NATO summit, which is set to take place on June 24-25.
The group will protest against NATO alongside several other organizations and has urged supporters on social media to sign a petition calling on NATO to stop military aid to war zones and to reject what it calls "economically devastating sanctions warfare."
Operating under the name “Vredesdemonstratie” meaning “Peace Demonstration” in Dutch, the movement poses as a peace initiative but is known for making its demands solely of Ukraine and its supporters, and never of Russia.
The group’s demonstrations often feature Russian flags and sometimes include cultural performances, such as singing traditional songs, dancing, and wearing traditional attire.
In an earlier investigative story, the Kyiv Independent reported on a February event where members of the Peace Demonstration group appeared in Amsterdam with placards reading: "Ukraine is evil for Dutch taxpayers” and “Zelensky! Stop killing your people!"
Another read “Sponsoring Kiev is sponsoring terrorism against Ukrainians,” using the Russian spelling for Ukraine’s capital city Kyiv.
This year’s NATO summit is hoped to bring clarity on the future of defense spending amid internal divisions and growing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, including demands to increase defense budgets across all member states.
The alliance plays an important role in coordinating military aid and funding weapons supplies to support Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression.
With U.S. support for Ukraine looking ever more uncertain, an increase in defense spending would therefore be crucial to maintaining consistent military support for the country. NATO member states are expected to agree on raising defense spending per country from the current 2% to 5% of GDP.
The anti-NATO demonstration on June 24-25 is organised by the People for Peace collective. It aims to bring together activists from across the ideological spectrum, though it contains several radical left-wing organizations.
These groups are often associated with controversial figures and Kremlin sympathizers, including Ab Gietelink, host of Alternatief TV, who has interviewed Russian ambassadors and pro-Kremlin activists; Marie-Thérèse Ter Haar, a founder of the Russia & Eastern Europe Academy in the Netherlands, known for organizing cultural trips and promoting emigration to Russia; and Gideon van Meijeren, a MP from the far-right Forum for Democracy (FvD). All are listed among the event’s registered speakers.
In addition, on Sunday, June 23, a separate anti-NATO demonstration will be held in The Hague by a different group, the Counter-Summit Coalition for Peace and Justice, which chose to distance itself from the main protest taking place during the summit.
Efforts by various groups to undermine NATO often echo anti-imperialist rhetoric, yet Russia is pursuing a deeply imperialist agenda through war, the occupation of Ukrainian territory, and the expansion of its sphere of influence.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas recently warned that failing to step up military and financial support for Ukraine could leave Europe increasingly exposed to Russian influence. She pointed to a sharp rise in Russia’s military spending, now surpassing the combined military budgets of EU member states.
Ukraine’s path to NATO membership is unlikely to be on the agenda at this year’s summit. Unlike in previous years, the final communique may omit any reference to Ukraine’s membership or direct mention of Ukraine and Russia, as NATO looks to avoid tensions with Trump. Still, Ukraine was ultimately invited, despite earlier speculation about possible U.S. opposition.
The demonstrations will also feature activists from established pro-Palestinian movements who are calling for NATO withdrawal in protest against Israel’s military actions in Gaza and the West Bank and continued Western military support for Israel.
Linda Hourani
