The Latin American country under Argentine President Javier Milei has just taken a step towards realizing its goal of strengthening relations with Western powers and attracting investment.

Argentine Defense Minister Luis Petri revealed on April 18 that his country has officially applied to become a global partner of the US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

According to Mr. Petri, the proposal was made during his meeting with top NATO officials at the organization's headquarters in Brussels (Belgium).

“I met with Mr. Mircea Geoana, Deputy Secretary General of NATO. I gave him a letter of intent expressing Argentina’s request to become a global partner of the organization,” Minister Petri said on the social network X/Twitter. “We will continue to work to restore the links that allow us to modernize and train our forces according to NATO standards.”

Geoana said he welcomed Argentina’s efforts to become a recognized partner in the alliance – a valuable role as an “ally” for countries outside NATO’s geographic area that are not required to take part in collective military action. NATO membership is currently limited to European countries, Türkiye, Canada and the United States.

Argentina's move is a sign of the country's new direction under President Milei, who has pushed a radical liberal agenda aimed at reversing measures that have sent the economy into recession.

Since taking office last December, Milei has reshaped Argentina’s foreign policy. After rejecting the Russia- and China-led BRICS bloc, the far-right leader is seeking security benefits through warmer ties with Western countries.

On April 18, Washington announced it would provide Buenos Aires with $40 million in foreign military financing for the first time in more than two decades – a financial package that will allow key allies such as Israel to buy American weapons.

The money, intended to help Argentina equip and modernize its military, will help pay for 24 US F-16 fighter jets that Argentina bought from Denmark earlier this week.

Defense Minister Petri hailed the purchase of the advanced fighter jets as “the most important military deal since Argentina returned to democracy” in 1983. The $300 million price tag has drawn criticism from Mr Milei’s political opponents as he cuts spending across the government.

Formal cooperation with NATO requires the consent of all 32 NATO members. Argentina's relations with key NATO member the United Kingdom have been strained since 1982 over the disputed Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic.

The transatlantic alliance currently has a select group of nine countries officially designated as “global partners,” including Afghanistan, Australia, Iraq, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand and Pakistan. Currently, NATO’s only partner in Latin America is Colombia.

Granting a country “global partnership” status does not mean that NATO allies will come to its defense in the event of an attack. That commitment – ​​enshrined in Article 5 of the NATO Charter – is limited to full members of the alliance .

Minh Duc (According to AP, Buenos Aires Times)