THE Nato alliance is due to agree members should spend 5 per cent of their GDP on the military at its summit starting tomorrow.

Protests rocked the host city of The Hague in the Netherlands on Sunday, as peace campaigners protested at the militarisation of Europe. “Let’s invest in peace and sustainable energy,” Workers Party of Belgium Senator Jos d’Haese told crowds, who also bore banners in solidarity with the Palestinians facing genocide by Israel and against the Israeli-US attacks on Iran.

Protester Hossein Hamadani said: “We are opposed to war. People want to live a peaceful life.

“Look at the environment. Things are not good, so why do we spend money on war?”

Half the entire Dutch police force will be on duty guarding the summit, at which Nato states will compete to meet US President Donald Trump’s 5 per cent target, with the figure broken down to 3.5 per cent on “core” military spending and 1.5 per cent on investments that relate to military readiness, such as improved infrastructure.

Nato states already account for 75 per cent of worldwide military spending, but the alliance says huge increases are required to prevent a Russian attack.

Former German MP Sevim Dagdelen said European Nato members alone already outspend Russia four to one and the huge diversion of resources to the military would entail “social warfare against their own populations.

“Every euro squandered on the massive rearmament effort, which ultimately enriches US investment firms like Blackrock, will be missing from pensions, education, and healthcare,” she said, pointing to cuts already hitting Berlin from reduced school bus services to closing swimming pools.

Some states will not attempt to meet the target, with Spain saying it had secured a concession so it doesn’t apply to “all allies.” President Trump said Nato will need to “deal with Spain,” but has also confirmed that the US will not try to meet the target it is imposing on others. Washington currently spends about 3.5 per cent of GDP on the military, which still places it ahead of the next 10 biggest spenders globally put together.

Most European states are expected to try to meet the target, though Germany’s pledge will require almost doubling military spending to half the whole federal budget.