The true and solid peace of nations consists not in equality of arms, but in mutual trust alone.

The statement rejects the idea that peace is secured primarily by deterrence—by matching an adversary weapon for weapon. Instead, it argues that durable international peace rests on confidence between peoples and governments: reliable commitments, transparency, and a willingness to recognize shared interests and common humanity. In this view, arms “equality” may only freeze hostility into a tense balance, while trust changes the underlying relationship that produces conflict. The quote also implies a moral critique of arms races: they can create the illusion of security while deepening suspicion and diverting resources from human flourishing. Peace, here, is a positive condition built through relationships, not merely the absence of war maintained by force.