Australia isn't a NATO member primarily because NATO's scope is geographically limited to North Atlantic and European nations, though Australia is a close Enhanced Opportunities Partner (EOP) with strong ties, participating in operations like Afghanistan and sharing security concerns in the Indo-Pacific. Its role is as a key partner, not a core ally, due to distance and different regional security priorities, but growing instability in the Indo-Pacific has deepened this partnership, with Australia attending NATO summits for dialogue.
Global security relationships – Australia's relationship with NATO. Though Australia is not a NATO member, its ties to the organisation have grown as a result of ADF deployments to Afghanistan under the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.
The largest group of European nations not in NATO are those that profess their neutrality. Including nations such as Austria, Ireland, and Switzerland, some have military neutrality enshrined in their constitutions, or because of previous dealings with the great powers.
In May 2023, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated Japan had no plans to join NATO as a member or semi-member state. In June 2023, it was reported that NATO and Japan had agreed to open its first Asia liaison office in Tokyo in 2024 for use as a hub for co-operation with Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.
As of 2026, no member state has rescinded their membership, although it has been considered by several countries. Notwithstanding, a number of former dependencies of NATO members have never applied for membership subsequent to their becoming independent states.
Perceiving the Cold War polarization of the world's powers as detrimental to its own interests, France withdrew from the military structure of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, initially leaving the alliance more vulnerable defensively.
Finland - which has a 1,340km (832-mile) land border with Russia - joined in April 2023. Sweden became a member in March 2024. Having been neutral for decades, both applied to Nato in May 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Georgia are not members but have asked to join.
Article 10 poses two general limits to non-member states. First, only European states are eligible for new membership, and second, these states not only need the approval of all the existing member states, but every member state can put some criteria forward that have to be attained.
The Secretary-General is the highest representative of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). As of 1 October 2024, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte is NATO Secretary-General.
Austria is bound to neutrality by the 1955 Austrian State Treaty and its constitution, which prohibits entry into military alliances and the establishment of foreign military bases on Austrian territory.
India as a major defense partner
In June 2019, American lawmakers provided for enhancements to the strategic status of India, though this fell short of designating the country as an MNNA.
Article Five of the treaty states that if an armed attack occurs against one of the member states, it should be considered an attack against all members, and other members shall assist the attacked member, with armed forces if necessary.
“Australia is unwavering in its support for Ukraine. These commitments will make a tangible difference in Ukraine's defence against Russia's illegal and immoral invasion.
Yes, Australia has a strong, technologically advanced, and well-trained military (the Australian Defence Force - ADF), ranking globally as a significant power, especially in the Asia-Pacific, despite its relatively small size; it excels in defense networks and is investing heavily in modernizing its air, land, and sea capabilities with key partners like the US and UK, making it a highly capable regional force.
NATO Expansion
The alliance has continued to expand, with North Macedonia joining in 2020, Finland in 2023, and Sweden in 2025, bringing the total number of NATO member states to 32.
Previously, in 2006, NATO Defence Ministers agreed to commit a minimum of 2% of their GDP to defence spending. The combined wealth of the non-US Allies, measured in GDP, is almost equal to that of the United States. However, non-US Allies together spend less than half of what the United States spends on defence.
It refused to join NATO due to a sovereignty dispute over Northern Ireland with the United Kingdom, a NATO member. Ireland offered to set up a separate alliance with the United States but this was refused.
Until 2006 the Ukrainian Armed Forces worked with NATO in Iraq. Most officials believed it would be too risky to allow Ukraine to join NATO as it would upset Russia greatly. On 6 April 2004, parliament adopted a law on the free access of NATO forces to the territory of Ukraine.
In the case of the United States, decisions are made in consultation with Congress. The key determinant for any invitation to new members is whether their admission to NATO will strengthen the alliance and further the basic objective of NATO enlargement, which is to increase security and stability across Europe.
As an alliance of 32 sovereign countries, NATO relies on the military forces of its member countries to carry out an operation or mission, as it does not possess military forces of its own.
From Slovenia to Iceland: 7 NATO countries with the lowest military strength
Spain was the lowest spender in Nato last year, with spending of 1.2%, according to the alliance's estimates. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has said his country will pass 2% in 2025 but there have been demonstrations against higher defence spending.