The Netherlands helps promote international peace and security

International cooperation is important in promoting security

The Netherlands is stronger with allies. To achieve this, the Netherlands works worldwide on maintaining good relations with other countries, through diplomacy and military support. NATO and a strong Europe are crucial in this respect.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

NATO has 32 member countries that protect one another. At the NATO summit in The Hague in 2025, the allies made a number of agreements. For example, they agreed that by no later than 2035 they would all be investing 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) in defence. The Netherlands supports this new target, which will ensure that European NATO members and Canada shoulder more responsibility for their own defence.

European security

The Netherlands is committed to European security. A strong and united Europe protects us all against external threats. That is why the Netherlands works within the European Union (EU) and with other European countries on:

• making joint investments in defence;
• exchanging intelligence and information to help track down terrorists and other criminals;
• taking joint action against espionage and sabotage by other countries;
• manufacturing more products in Europe, to boost Europe’s resilience to economic pressure from other countries;
• introducing sanctions against countries that act aggressively.

Hybrid threats

Espionage, sabotage, cyber attacks and fake news emanating from other countries pose an ever-increasing threat to the world. The aim behind these tactics is to cause unrest and economic harm, or even to influence elections. The Netherlands works with other countries to boost resilience to hybrid threats from abroad, for instance by helping to protect our allies’ territory.

International efforts to prevent and resolve conflict

The Netherlands works with other countries to prevent conflicts and bring them to an end. This includes:

• working to protect the international legal order,
  for instance through the United Nations (UN), and through the International Criminal Court in The Hague and various other tribunals;
• sending civil experts or troops to countries where their assistance is needed,
  for example, to help make areas ravaged by conflict safe for the civilian population;
• through missions and operations
  in which Dutch troops work on a daily basis to promote peace, security and liberty in the world, for instance EU and NATO missions.