75 years of NATO: War Summit escalates global tensions
STATEMENT BY THE PEACE WORKING GROUP OF THE EUROPEAN LEFT
75 years since its foundation, NATO’s record is not one to be proud of. Rather than making Europe safer, through its aggressive expansionism and wars, it has made our continent – and the world – a more dangerous place.
That is why the Party of the European Left will not be celebrating the Alliance’s 75th birthday. On the contrary, the EL supports an agenda of peace and disarmament – and calls for a new security architecture respecting the concerns of all states.
The decisions taken by NATO at its current Washington summit are of the greatest concern. Rather than seeking negotiated solutions to the world’s complex problems, NATO is backing more weapons and more confrontation. The inevitable result will be more deaths and greater suffering. With increasing hostility expressed towards China, NATO is opening the door to a Third World War.
The planned stationing of cruise missiles and hypersonic weapons in Germany, and increase in the spending target from 2% of GDP to 2.5% show that NATO has no intention of developing the sustainable policies for common security that Europe as a whole so badly needs.
Russia has undoubtedly broken international law with its war against Ukraine. The European Left has long called for an end to the war, for negotiations and for the withdrawal of Russian troops. But Russia’s aggression does not justify NATO’s confrontational militarism, massive armaments, and war policy. On the contrary, the current military-political situation shows how necessary are diplomacy, negotiations and the resumption of disarmament talks.
Former disarmament treaties such as the INF Treaty must be revived and additional agreements on the disarmament of further weapons systems (killer drones, use of artificial intelligence for target selection, etc.) must be introduced and implemented. The European Left is particularly committed to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Treaties such as these, together with international dialogue and cooperation, are the only way to stop a new arms race and avert the increasing danger of global war.
NATO will not bring peace to Europe. That is why we believe that 75 years of NATO is more than enough. We need now to build structures and take steps that focus on the security of all people in Europe – such as strengthening the OSCE. Above all, we need the resources that are currently being wasted on militarisation and war to be used instead to deal with the climate catastrophe – and secure the future of our planet. It’s time to work together to stop the spread of war, and to bring peace to all peoples.