ESSF has joined the Stop ReArm Europe Network, which we think has the potential to unite a truly mass movement against the militarisation of the European Union. The European Commission has embarked on an aggressive rearmament programme, redirecting billions from social and environmental priorities to defence spending. This shift comes amidst the largest war in Europe for 80 years, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggering what Brussels calls a new security paradigm requiring “defence readiness”.

While most Europeans welcome reduced dependence on US military leadership, many would be surprised by the extent to which ReArm Europe is Brussels’ effort to reinforce its alliance with Washington. This includes massive purchases of American weapons systems and attempts to maintain the presence of US troops across the continent, contradicting the EU’s stated goal of strategic autonomy.

Composition and Reach

Stop ReArm Europe was established by anti-war and progressive organisations predominantly from the western part of the EU as well as the UK. These include established anti-war movements like ARCI (Italy), Stop The War (UK), and CND (UK), along with progressive think tanks such as Transform!Europe and TNI, and sections of the ATTAC network. The founding Call particularly resonates with concerns about diverting public funds from pressing social needs towards military expenditure.

The first open meeting on May 5^th gathered about 90 member organisations, showcasing impressive grassroots momentum with numerous local initiatives from Italy, France, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands. However, this gathering also confirmed the network’s marginal presence in Central and Eastern European countries—precisely those most directly affected by Russian aggression.

Key Tensions

The network confronts several significant contradictions that must be addressed to build credibility and reach. Most Europeans support Ukraine’s right to self-defence, yet many of Stop ReArm Europe’s initial supporters appear more concerned about Western armed support to Ukraine than about Russia’s aggressive actions. This reflects deeper divisions within the anti-capitalist left that cannot be ignored.

A second tension revolves around NATO. Many network members in western Europe’s richest countries oppose the alliance while simultaneously benefiting from the security it provides. The paradox is striking: these peace movements often oppose NATO whilst arguing that Europe faces no threat from Russia—a claim that relies on the deterrent effect of the very alliance they criticise. For decades, this security bubble has meant little interest of western Europeans in developing alternative defence arrangements.

Meanwhile, support for NATO has increased dramatically in countries bordering Russia. The Nordic and Baltic nations have implemented the EU’s highest increases in arms spending and several have reintroduced compulsory military service. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland are even withdrawing from the Ottawa Treaty banning anti-personnel mines as they construct new border barriers with Russia and Belarus, supported by drone surveillance.

Opportunities

As the Stop ReArm Europe network grows, it can broaden its perspective and impact by reaching beyond its current limitations. The movement creates space to develop substantive critique of militarisation while challenging both the financial and political costs of rearmament.

The first members’ meeting highlighted promising initiatives to expand the anti-militarist movement. These include engaging with labour unions concerned with military-industrial conversion, feminist organisations advancing gender-based critiques of militarism, international solidarity activists connecting militarisation to global justice issues, and environmental groups fighting against the abandonment of green transition priorities.

The network has significant potential to connect with activist groups from African and Middle Eastern countries concerned about Western military intervention and neocolonial interests. This international solidarity could also address the increasingly militarised defence of Europe’s southern borders.

However, the Russian sympathies evident among some founding members may complicate efforts to connect with Ukrainian civil society and anti-war Russian movements, beyond the few individuals who share the ’anti-West’ discourse of some Western European pacifists. Overcoming this limitation will be essential for building a truly inclusive movement.

The Path Forward

The west European anti-militarisation movement has revived important left discussions on alternative defence strategies first developed during the Cold War. As we witness with horror our collective inability to stop genocide in Palestine and Russia’s recolonisation of Ukraine, the search for alternative defence and security approaches becomes increasingly urgent.

Boycott campaigns across Europe exposing companies doing military business with both Israel and Russia should be united under the network’s umbrella. While EU countries’ military aid to Ukraine requires thoughtful reconsideration of defence priorities, this must not mean uncritically accepting increased military spending. The EU’s current defence spending is much higher than would be needed to defend Ukraine and the EU itself against the Russian threat.

Most Europeans agree with the principle that “from Ukraine to Palestine, occupation is a crime.” Building on this common ground, the Stop ReArm Europe Network has the potential to develop a coherent progressive position that opposes militarism while acknowledging legitimate security concerns. Only by addressing its internal contradictions and expanding its geographical and political reach can the movement fulfil its promise of challenging Europe’s dangerous drift toward militarisation.

Adam Novak is an editor of ESSF, and until March 2025 the Coordinator of the European Network for Solidarity with Ukraine (ENSU).