Argentina has filed a request to become one of NATO's global partners.

“We will continue working to recover ties that allow us to improve and train our [military] forces following NATO standards,” Defense Minister Luis Petri announced, according to the Buenos Aires Herald.

Petri met with NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.

Me reuní con @Mircea_Geoana, Secretario General Adjunto de la @NATO. Le presenté la carta de intención que expresa la solicitud de Argentina en convertirse en un socio global de esta organización. Seguiremos trabajando en recuperar vínculos que permitan modernizar y capacitar a… pic.twitter.com/PN0s5bx9U2

— Luis Petri (@luispetri) April 18, 2024

“It is a great pleasure to welcome Defence Minister Petri to NATO Headquarters,” said Geoana.

“Argentina plays an important role in Latin America, and I welcome today’s request to explore becoming a NATO partner. NATO works with a range of countries around the world to promote peace and stability. Closer political and practical cooperation could benefit us both,” he added.

From the Buenos Aires Herald:

Petri traveled to Belgium after finalizing the purchase of 24 F-16 fighter jets from Denmark. The jets, which cost 2.1 billion kroner (approximately US$300 million), were manufactured in the United States. No official date has been scheduled for their transfer.

NATO is a political and military alliance of countries from Europe and North America. It currently has 32 full members, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Germany. According to its website members are “committed to protecting each other from any threat.”

Argentina has been a “major non-NATO ally” since 1998, meaning the country has strategic relationships with the U.S. Armed Forces while not being a full NATO member. The global partner or “partner across the globe” status is reserved for countries who want to cooperate with NATO but are restricted from full membership due to treaty guidelines that state that only European nations can be invited to fully join.

The only Latin American country that currently has NATO global partner status is Colombia. Other countries are Iraq, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia and Pakistan. A key difference between the global partner and ally status is that countries in the former are not required to intervene in a military conflict.

BREAKING: Argentina officially applies to become a global partner of NATO. pic.twitter.com/mcWKp0L3Zy

— The General (@GeneralMCNews) April 18, 2024

⚡️ #Argentina has submitted a request to #NATO to become a global partner of the military alliance, said the head of the Defense Ministry Luis Petri. pic.twitter.com/bbQQ4QTTxY

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) April 18, 2024

BREAKING:

Argentine President Javier Milei submits a request to NATO to become a global partner of the military alliance.

Looks like Ukraine could suddenly receive artillery shells and other weapons from an unexpected source

🇦🇷🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/HK5prsCb7u

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 18, 2024

Per NATO:

The two leaders exchanged views on European and Latin American security challenges. The Deputy Secretary General welcomed Argentina’s role in supporting Ukraine with lifesaving humanitarian assistance, including food, medicine, and support for refugees.

NATO’s political dialogue with Argentina began in the early 1990s. Buenos Aires later contributed to NATO’s peace support operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in Kosovo. Colombia is currently NATO’s only partner country in Latin America. Any decision on a formal partnership would require consensus by all 32 Allies.