It was decided at the 2023 Vilnius summit that the Netherlands would be hosting the 2025 edition, marking the first time a NATO summit would take place in the country.[1] The exact date and location, the World Forum in The Hague, were announced by outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in May 2024.[2] The last major diplomatic conference held in The Hague was the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit, and the city was chosen over Rotterdam, Apeldoorn, and Maastricht.[3]
It was estimated that the event would attract 8,500 attendants, of whom 6,000 delegation members, and would cost €95 million.[3][4] Most of that amount would be covered by the national government, with €1.25 million to be paid by the municipality of The Hague. Johan de Wittlaan, along which the World Forum is located, would be closed off for four months.[5] Due to capacity issues, temporary structures were erected on the street, for which trees and traffic lights were removed. The exterior of the World Forum was repainted, and the seats and lighting in the main auditorium were replaced.[5][6]
The Dutch National Police announced plans to deploy 27,000 personnel[7] – nearly half its total workforce – for what would be the largest security operation in its history. Resources would be concentrated around The Hague, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, and the connecting route.[6] The police discouraged organizing other events in the Netherlands during the first half of 2025,[8] with the Veenendaal-Veenendaal cycling race cancelled as a result[9] – however the Amstel Gold Race (the biggest Dutch road cycling race)[10] will take place following negotiations between the police and the Royal Dutch Cycling Union.[11] Other events cancelled owing to the summit include the Veterans' Day parade.[6]
^"Amstel Gold Race gaat door, toch politiebegeleiding bij Nederlandse wielerklassieker" [Amstel Gold Race to go ahead, but police escort to Dutch cycling classic]. nos.nl (in Dutch). 29 January 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2025. de NAVO-top in juni in Den Haag, waarbij 27.000 politiemedewerkers worden ingezet. [the NATO summit in June in The Hague, where 27,000 police officers will be deployed.]
