Frequently asked questions about the NATO Summit 2025 in The Hague

The 2025 NATO Summit will be held at the World Forum in The Hague. Because of the size of the summit, temporary buildings will be erected next to the World Forum. The summit itself is scheduled to take place on 24 to 26 June 2025. Because the exact agenda of the summit is not yet known, arrangements are being made for the possibility of additional meetings on 23 June.

After an extensive selection process, the World Forum in The Hague was chosen as the best conference location. This location meets all the criteria for organising a summit of this size, in terms of the number of people it can accommodate, security requirements, adequate arrival and departure routes, and the number of hotel rooms available in the vicinity. The Hague has a great deal of experience in organising large-scale international conferences. Plus, The Hague is the city of peace and justice. This is perfectly aligned with the values for which NATO stands.

The Netherlands was asked at the 2023 NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania to host the 2025 summit. This is the first time since NATO’s founding in 1949 that the Netherlands is hosting a NATO Summit. Being offered the opportunity to host is a great honour and a sign that the other NATO countries value the Netherlands’ contribution to the alliance.

By organising the NATO Summit, the Netherlands can further reinforce its position as a reliable ally. In these turbulent times, in which Russia has launched a large-scale war on the European continent, the summit forms an important moment for making decisions that have a decisive impact on our peace and security and a direct effect on our prosperity.

The total cost of organising the 2025 NATO Summit amounts to €95 million. Provisions have been made for this in the 2024 Spring Memorandum, spread out over 2024 and 2025. The costs will be covered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and Security and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.

Generally, NATO Summits are held in a different country every year. It is customary for the host country to contribute to the organisational costs. This way, the costs are evenly divided among the member countries. It is the first time in NATO’s 75-year existence that the Netherlands will be hosting a summit.

Approximately 45 heads of state and government, 45 foreign ministers and 45 defence ministers are expected to be in attendance. The combined size of all the delegations will be around 6,000 people. In addition, a NATO Public Forum will be held in the margins of the summit. Attendance is by invitation only. The Public Forum is expected to draw some 500 people. About 2,000 journalists from around the world will be on hand to cover the summit. A total of around 8,500 people are expected to take part.

Parallel to the 2025 NATO Summit, there will also be a conference for stakeholders: the NATO Public Forum. At the Public Forum heads of state and government and cabinet ministers will engage in dialogue with young people, politicians, opinion makers, academics and experts about various topics related to the security of the alliance and its members. Approximately 500 people will attend the Public Forum.