Not long ago, Argentina announced that it would not join the BRICS, but this time it suddenly submitted an application to NATO to join the BRICS. Not only that, but the United States responded quickly and decided to provide $40 million in financing support in just 24 hours. What is the story behind the changes and decisions?
April 18, 2023, an ordinary Tuesday, turned out to be a big day for Argentina. On this day, the Argentine government submitted a formal application for membership to NATO in Brussels. This action symbolizes a huge shift in Argentina's foreign policy and marks its willingness to cooperate deeply with international military organizations.
The application was personally handed over by Argentine Defense Minister Luis Petri to NATO Deputy Secretary-General Mircea Gevana. In its application, Argentina expressed its desire to improve the country's defense capabilities by becoming a NATO "global partner" with access to advanced technologies, security systems and specialized training.
Mircea Gewana welcomed Argentina's application and stressed Argentina's importance in Latin America. He believes that Argentina's accession will bring closer cooperation between the two sides to jointly address global security challenges.
The motivation behind Argentina's move is a matter of concern. Analysts point out that Argentina may be seeking to balance its relations with its traditional allies in the West, especially in the current complex international political and economic situation. In addition, joining NATO could also help Argentina improve its relations with Western countries and attract more foreign investment.
Relations between Argentina and the United Kingdom, a member of NATO, have been strained, mainly due to the sovereignty dispute between the two countries over the Falkland Islands. This legacy also added complexity to the Argentine application.
Despite the many challenges, it is clear that the Argentine Government is well prepared. President Milley said that Argentina's choice not to join the BRICS and to become a "global partner" of NATO is based on consideration of national security challenges and a reassessment of the focus of international relations.
At the same time, the U.S. response was unusually swift. Within 24 hours of Argentina's application, the United States announced that it would provide $40 million to Argentina through its "Foreign Military Financing" program. The main use of this money is to help Argentina pay for the purchase of 24 F-16 fighters from Denmark. Obviously, the United States also has its own strategic calculations behind the decision to support Argentina.
The U.S. move is seen as a strategic deployment aimed at reducing the BRICS influence in South America by strengthening military cooperation with Argentina, while strengthening NATO's presence in the region. Such subtle changes in multilateral relations not only affect regional security, but may also change the global military and political balance.
The development of this series of events has aroused widespread attention at home and abroad. Views in Argentina on joining NATO are quite divided. Some believe that this will bring more international support and security to the country, and is a big step forward. There are also concerns that the decision could plunge Argentina into international disputes, especially in the long-running dispute with Britain over the Falkland Islands.
Internationally, other South American countries have reacted differently to Argentina's decision. Countries such as Brazil and Mexico have expressed concern that Argentina could become overly dependent on Western military support, fearing that such an action could undermine regional independence and balance. European countries generally welcomed this and hoped that it would strengthen ties with Latin American countries and play a more active role in global security affairs.
In the international media, the incident also caused heated discussions. Some analysts believe that Argentina's move could be a strategic move to boost its regional and even global standing by strengthening military cooperation with Western countries to gain technical and economic support. But there are also views that this could make Argentina's position among its traditional allies delicate, especially in relations with China and Russia.
In addition, the rapid financing support of the United States for Argentina has also raised some questions, and it is doubtful whether it means that Argentina will be more inclined to follow the United States in future international affairs. This financial support is seen by some critics as "money diplomacy", arguing that it could have an impact on Argentina's diplomatic autonomy.
Despite all the controversies and challenges, the Argentine government seems determined to move forward with this foreign policy shift. In the future, how Argentina's relations with NATO and other international organizations and countries will develop remain uncertain. All this will have a profound impact on Argentina's international standing and the regional security situation.
Over time, the eyes of the world will be on the South American country, how it can dance freely on the complex international stage, while balancing internal and external pressures to maximize national interests. This move by Argentina has undoubtedly added a new touch to international politics, and the outcome can only be answered by time.