In January of this year, the Trump government decided to add Peru to NATO, just as it did with Argentina. However, making the leap in quality for the Milei administration's ambitions and placing Argentina from a NATO Extra Ally to a global partner seems to be a goal that cannot be achieved during the libertarian economist's term. The numbers do not add up to be a global partner of NATO, the main problem is always economic. Furthermore, with unresolved global conflicts, membership is becoming increasingly expensive. It went from 2% of GDP in 2014 to be a NATO partner to 5% for 2035. Therefore, if that data is taken, the 1.5% increase is not enough, and in real terms, it represents a further adjustment for the Defense area. In this way, the military budget projected for Argentina in 2026 is estimated between 0.55% and 0.57% of GDP. This 2% of GDP guideline was an important indicator of the political determination of each Ally to contribute to NATO's common defense efforts. Argentina is far from the 2% of GDP. If there was a point of contact between Javier Milei and Victoria Villarruel, even when they climbed onto a tank during a military parade, it was to point out that the inherited defense budget was scarce. They argued in 2023 that, “In Defense, we have the lowest budgets in the entire region.” In 2025, with the presidential duo broken due to political-electoral differences, the year closed with a slightly positive balance for the military budget. In 2025, material and equipment were incorporated, with the first 6 of a total of 24 F-16AM/BM fighters purchased from Denmark arriving, 4 of the 8x8 VCBR Strykers acquired from the USA, the intention to acquire submarines so that the Navy can have capabilities in that field again was highlighted (possibly French Scorpene). However, the 2026 Budget approved by the National Congress, without a fiscal deficit, presents a different scenario for the Defense function, with a real reduction in resources and operational limitations. The budget of the Ministry of Defense for 2026 amounts to approximately $3,583,051 million. A demand that is difficult to think of for a country with recurrent financial crises like Argentina. At the 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague, the Allies committed to investing annually 5% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in basic defense needs and defense and security-related expenses by 2035. They will allocate at least 3.5% of GDP annually, based on the agreed definition of NATO defense spending for 2035, to finance basic defense needs and meet NATO Capability Objectives. The Allies agreed to present annual plans showing a credible and progressive strategy to achieve this goal. That amount of pesos is destined, in about 80%, to the payment of salaries of the members of the Armed Forces, whose incomes have been severely hit by the depth of the economic adjustment carried out by the national government. The Budget for the Defense area represents a 1.5% increase compared to the previous year nominally. For now, it has the support of the United States, so Argentina is an Extra-NATO Ally. It is no small difference. They will allocate up to 1.5% of GDP annually, among other things, to protect critical infrastructure, defend networks, ensure civil preparedness and resilience, innovate, and strengthen the defense industrial base. Previously, in 2014, the Heads of State and Government of NATO agreed to allocate 2% of their national GDP to defense spending to contribute to guaranteeing the Alliance's continuous military preparedness. This decision was taken in response to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and in a context of generalized instability in the Middle East. In neither case are they a full member. Despite the disagreement over the level of spending of the member countries of NATO, clearly stated through declarations by Donald Trump himself, it is a military club to which more and more nations aspire to join since Vladimir Putin decided to invade Ukraine, unleashing a new boom for arms companies. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is composed as follows: Full Members: 32 countries in Europe and North America that adhere to the Washington Treaty. Global Partners: NATO cooperates individually with several countries outside the Atlantic area, including Afghanistan, Australia, Colombia, Iraq, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand, and Pakistan. Major Non-NATO Allies (MNNAs): This is a designation given by the United States to non-NATO countries that participate in security cooperation programs with the U.S. and have close relations with the U.S. Armed Forces. This figure reflects a slight decrease from the 0.60% of 2025. Far from the 2% required to enter the select club of NATO. In economics, the term nominal refers to the value of goods, services, or assets expressed in current monetary units (current or historical prices), without adjusting for the effects of inflation or changes in purchasing power. Therefore, the problem is inflation. Buenos Aires, January 25 (NA) -- In August 2024, President Javier Milei told the members of the Armed Forces, “In me, you will find a president who will always support you. We have come to turn this sad page of our history around, to focus on writing a new one, where our armed forces have the respect and recognition they deserve.” And although during 2025, with the chainsaw running day and night, he managed to increase defense spending for an armed forces totally abandoned in terms of gear, equipment, and material, for 2026 a setback is observed that has already been noted by NATO leaders. Because Argentina returned to the North Atlantic Alliance in April 2024 as an Extra-NATO Ally, beginning a 360-degree geopolitical turn with respect to the Kirchnerist administrations that allowed it to maintain a firm alliance with the United States of Donald Trump and enabled the Nation to regain access to American weaponry, through Denmark, avoiding the embargoes and restrictions imposed by Great Britain after the Malvinas War. The former Minister of Defense, Luis Petri, stated at the beginning of the libertarian government, “We will continue to work on recovering ties that allow us to modernize and train our forces to NATO standards.” In that direction, he led Argentina to the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), which brings together 54 countries, inside and outside NATO, to coordinate military assistance to Ukraine in its war with Russia. Now, the great leap that the government planned to make in 2026 was to obtain the global partner card of NATO. (not directly with NATO as a whole) for close allies, which often coincides with the list of global partners, including countries like Israel, Argentina, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and, recently, Peru. In Latin America, only Argentina and, since February, Peru have the Extra-NATO Ally status. It is the “status” that Argentina has. The same Budget provides for a 10.1% increase in the cost of living. The main difference lies in the entity with which the agreement is signed: a global partner is a strategic security alliance with the NATO organization (political dialogue, military cooperation), while a NATO Extra Ally (MNNA) is a status conferred directly by the United States for defense cooperation. The 2014 Defense Investment Commitment was based on a previous commitment to comply with this 2% of GDP guideline, agreed in 2006 by the NATO Defense Ministers.
