NATO’s trusted allies: Which nations have special defence partnerships without being in alliance?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) gives all its 32 member nations enhanced defence and security as the alliance partners pledge to fight collectively. Only member states get protection under NATO’s Article 5 collective defence clause, but the alliance does maintain close security relationships with several non-member countries. These special partnerships allow nations outside NATO to cooperate on defence, intelligence sharing, military training, and crisis response without becoming full members.

One of the most significant groups of NATO partners includes countries designated by the US as Major Non-NATO Allies (MNNA). This legal status is separate from NATO membership and provides eligible countries with benefits such as access to military technology, defence research, and enhanced security cooperation.

Nations with MNNA status are Australia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Kenya, Tunisia, Morocco, and several others.

These MNNA countries are not NATO members, but many work closely with the alliance on regional and global

security challenges.

Besides the MNNA framework, NATO has formal partnership programmes with countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific. Ukraine is one of NATO’s closest partners despite not being a member.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, NATO has significantly expanded military assistance, training programmes, intelligence sharing, and political support for Ukraine.

Although Ukraine does not get NATO’s collective defence guarantee, the alliance has been strengthening Kyiv’s defence capabilities besides affirming its long-term commitment repeatedly.

Georgia, another partner nation, has participated in numerous NATO exercises and operations while pursuing reforms aimed at eventual membership. Bosnia and Herzegovina also cooperates with NATO and benefits from defence modernization and institutional reform programmes.

In the Indo-Pacific, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea are important NATO partners. These democracies regularly participate in NATO summits, joint exercises, cybersecurity initiatives, and discussions on emerging security threats such as cyberattacks, maritime security, and the protection of critical infrastructure.

NATO also works with countries in the Middle East and North Africa through initiatives like the Mediterranean Dialogue and the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative. Partners including Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar engage with NATO on counterterrorism, maritime security, disaster response, and military education. These programmes aim to strengthen regional stability while fostering practical defence cooperation.

Although NATO partnerships offer substantial military and political benefits, they do not carry the same obligations or guarantees as full membership. Partner countries are not covered by Article 5, meaning NATO members are not automatically required to defend them in the event of an attack.

NATO’s partnerships have become an increasingly important element of its strategy as they enable working with trusted countries across regions, improve military interoperability, and address emerging threats ranging from cyber warfare to terrorism and geopolitical instability.