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DE‘Stop Militarisation’ Coalition
On 17 May, the ‘Stop Militarisation’ coalition—a group of over 20 Belgian civil society organisations including trade unions (ABVV-FGTB, ACV-CSC), Greenpeace Belgium, and the youth wing of the green party Ecolo—has issued via the Brussels Times an appeal to the Belgian government to halt its plans for increased military buildup and redirect resources toward social security and public services.
Given the nature of these important topics, we remind everyone about the need of an open dialogue within the whole civil society spectrum, beyond political affiliations. It should also be noted that in the 2024 parliamentary elections, Belgians overwhelmingly voted for political parties which had publicly pledged support for Ukraine and increasing Belgium’s military and defence spendings.
Our response
At Promote Ukraine NGO, we are firm in our belief in peace, democracy, and the defence of human rights. But peace is not simply the absence of war — it is the presence of security, justice, and the readiness to defend both. The recent appeal by the Stop Militarisation coalition, while rooted in a desire for peace, reflects a dangerously flawed understanding of today’s global security environment and risks undermining the very foundations of the peace it seeks to build.
The coalition argues that international security issues are primarily rooted in socioeconomic and ecological disruption. While we share the urgency of addressing inequality, social justice, and climate change, these are not the driving forces behind military aggression and war. The world is threatened by autocrats, war criminals, and dictators who do not care about their own people, much less the rights of others.
It is a dangerous illusion to believe that peace can be preserved by deprioritising defence, disarming, or trusting in the rationality of regimes that systematically crush dissent, violate borders, and openly reject basic human rights and democratic norms. These actors are not moved by dialogue or disarmament. They are deterred by strength.
Short-sighted complacency
The Stop Militarisation coalition argues that since Russia is currently entangled in its war against Ukraine, it is unlikely to pose a threat to other countries — and therefore, further defence spending by Belgium and NATO is unnecessary or unjustified.
Europe must be reminded that before February 2022 the vast majority of experts, activists and politicians were confident that Russia would not further invade Ukraine and that was a tragic delusion. The EU and NATO countries mistakenly appeased the Russian Federation throughout its aggressive behaviour in neighbouring countries and even more so since its illegal annexation of Crimea and war in Donbas.
Therefore, a call for demilitarisation is a dangerously shortsighted and complacent view. It ignores the fundamental nature of authoritarian regimes like Putin’s Russia: they do not act out of necessity alone, but out of ambition, ideology, and perceived opportunity.
Preparedness is not escalation — it is responsibility
Even while waging a brutal war in Ukraine, Russia continues to engage in cyberattacks, espionage, and hybrid warfare across Europe. Its tools of destabilisation go far beyond conventional military action — they include political interference, energy pressure, bribing politicians and financing far-right and supporting far-left parties, propaganda, and economic coercion. The threat is not limited by geography or military bandwidth; it is defined by intent and opportunity.
Assuming Russia won’t strike elsewhere simply because it hasn’t yet is not a strategy — it’s a gamble. Belgium and its allies must invest in credible defence not because war is inevitable, but because deterrence is the most effective way to prevent it.
Misidentifying root causes leads to failed policies
The Stop Militarisation manifesto misidentifies the root causes of insecurity. Conflict does not arise simply because of climate or social injustice. It arises when those in power choose violence over diplomacy, domination over coexistence. No amount of disarmament, goodwill, or NGO appeals will prevent aggression from leaders who view such gestures as weakness.
Without a correct understanding of the threat, no proposed solution can be effective. The notion that NATO or national defence budgets provoke war ignores the fact that it is weakness — not strength — that invites aggression.
Debunking myths of Stop Militarisation coalition regarding Belgium
Myth n°1: “Militarisation undermines true security”
Reality: If diplomacy and social investment are essential for long-term stability, military strength is a necessary deterrent against Russia’s aggression, which is a direct threat to Europe and Belgium’s security. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine underscores that peace cannot be attained without credible defense capabilities. A well-funded military allows Belgium and its NATO allies to protect democratic values, deter authoritarian threats, and support Ukraine not just diplomatically, but also ensuring it can negotiate peace from a position of strength. Calling it “militarisation” is morally and factually wrong. This is not an offensive approach directed at anyone, rather a long-term, pragmatic defensive strategy aimed at protecting Belgium and the entire EU from the risk of war.
Myth n°2: “Society opposes upgrading defence budgets”
Reality: Although Belgium’s defense spending has increased, for decades it had been far below NATO’s 2% GDP target, which was a collective commitment for shared security. In a more volatile global security environment, underinvesting in defense leaves Belgium dependent on others and weakens NATO unity.
A strengthened Belgian military also boosts Europe’s ability to support Ukraine effectively, increasing the pressure on Russia to negotiate or retreat from occupied territories, which in turn reduces the overall duration and cost of the war.
In the latest Winter Eurobarometer 2025 survey, when asked “Thinking about the future, which of the following aspects should the EU prioritize in order to strengthen its position in the world?”, 39% of Belgians ranked defence and security first (above the EU average of 36%), well ahead another priority topic. While the solidity of the transatlantic partnership is being tested, the majority of the Belgian public understands that real collective security requires further investments in the coming years.
Myth n°3: “It increases asset sales and favors the military-industrial complex”
Reality: Reinvesting public assets into national security can be a legitimate strategy during a time of heightened threats. Defense investment not only strengthens Belgium’s security posture but also supports technological innovation and high-skilled jobs within the European defense industry. Strategic spending ensures Belgium contributes meaningfully to NATO operations and EU defense readiness, both of which are vital for sustaining Ukraine’s resilience and deterring Russian expansionism.
Myth n°4: “It promotes a militarised security culture against our values”
Reality: Promoting peace and diplomacy does not prevent from respecting democracy and upholding the rule of law. In fact, a strong Belgian military can uphold the very freedoms and democratic structures that allow for peace education, civil society, and justice. In the context of Ukraine, where such values are under attack, Belgium’s contribution to deterrence and defense helps defend not just borders, sovereignty and territorial integrity, but democratic ideals on the whole European continent. Security and peace are not mutually exclusive, they coexist.
Myth 5: “Such plans are an obstacle to nuclear disarmament”
Reality: nuclear disarmament is a noble foreign policy goal. Unfortunately, the current international security climate – with Russia repeatedly threatening nuclear escalation and bombing nuclear infrastructure inside Ukraine – requires maintaining a credible nuclear deterrence within NATO.
Belgium’s hosting of U.S. nuclear weapons under NATO deterrence policy contributes to strategic balance and preserves from the risk of unilateral attacks. A precipitated move to disarm could embolden adversaries of Ukraine and reduce Western leverage in negotiations, especially when supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and future security guarantees.
Not preparing for potential security threats would leave Belgium weakened and marginalised, now that all its neighbours (with Germany and France in the lead) have also raised their military and defence objectives. As a founding member of the EU, Belgium has a pivotal role to play.
Constructive engagement over ideological rejection
Rather than campaigning against defence investment, the Stop Militarisation coalition has an opportunity to shape how defence is practiced. Instead of calling for cuts, we invite the members of the coalition to:
- Advocate for greater gender equality, inclusivity, and diversity within the armed forces
- Push for transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption reforms in defence spending
- Promote environmentally responsible practices within military infrastructure
- Support training in international humanitarian law, civilian protection, and human rights
A reformed and principled military, subject to democratic oversight, can be a powerful defender of peace, not its enemy. But this requires constructive engagement — not ideological opposition.
Belgium is rightly investing in its own defence and in meeting its NATO commitments, not out of militarism, but because it recognises the value of collective defence. These choices reflect hard-learned lessons from the past — lessons that show peace cannot be preserved through hope and wishful thinking alone, but through readiness and resolve. A proactive foreign policy must include both diplomacy and deterrence, especially in an era of increasing geopolitical instability.
We also stress: the Stop Militarisation appeal, while vocal, does not represent the entire Belgian civil society landscape, rather a small minority. Most NGOs, trade unions, and grassroots movements understand that peace and security are not mutually exclusive — they are interdependent.
Peace is not achieved by disarming in the face of threats — it is preserved by being prepared to confront them.
Until aggression, tyranny, and expansionism are defeated, we must defend the values of freedom and peace with conviction, clarity, and collective strength.
We extend an open invitation to all civil society actors who believe in these ideals to join us — not to oppose peace, but to build it on a foundation that can actually withstand the weight of the world we live in.
