The United Kingdom is steadily intensifying its military presence in the Malvina Islands with the deployment of elite troops, infrastructure modernization, and expansion of air and naval operations, consolidating a strategy that transcends the regional level to integrate into the global geopolitical arena.
In parallel, the United States and Great Britain are economically and militarily supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky , while NATO is seeking to establish missile bases in Eastern Europe targeting Russia .
In this scenario, Argentina faces a paradox: Javier Milei's government is promoting agreements with Israel, donating helicopters given by the Russians to Ukraine - originally intended for the Antarctic campaign - and Defense Minister Luis Petri is requesting non-NATO ally status, while a British military base in the Malvinas Islands operates 600 kilometers from Ushuaia .
The appointment of Brigadier Charlie Harmer , a veteran of operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Mali, to command British Forces South Atlantic (BFSAI) is not merely a ceremonial replacement. His arrival coincides with the deployment of A Company of the 3rd Parachute Battalion (3 PARA), a special forces unit trained in airborne operations and night combat. The "Cape Kukri III" and "Marinization" exercises, with live fire and amphibious drills, reinforce the narrative of deterrence. This is compounded by the extension until 2027 of the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets at Mount Pleasant and the patrol vessel HMS Forth flying missions to Antarctica.
For London, the Malvinas are a key link in its "Global Britain" strategy, aligned with the 2025 Defense Review, which prioritizes the protection of overseas territories.
However, in Argentina, the official response is silence . Unlike previous administrations, when projects or declarations were presented in international forums, today neither the national government nor the provinces of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands are articulating a firm position . Alicia Castro , former ambassador and long-time critic, sums it up: "There are 2,000 British soldiers on Argentine territory. It's an occupation that is intensifying with the government's complicit silence."
Contradictions and questioned alliances
The Argentine paradox is evident . While Minister Luis Petri negotiated with NATO—an alliance that supports British militarization in the South Atlantic—the Executive branch donated two Mi-17 helicopters to Ukraine , equipment that Russia had provided for Antarctic operations. Added to this are the agreements with Benjamin Netanyahu, at a time when Israel faces accusations of genocide in Gaza. Actions that reflect an unnecessary subordination to interests completely alien to national sovereignty.
The situation is further complicated by the base on Monte Agradable: modernized with extended runways, advanced radars, and logistical capacity to operate in Antarctica, it stands as a military enclave less than an hour's flight from Tierra del Fuego.
Where is Argentina headed on this board?
The lack of debate in Congress and the absence of a clear strategy regarding the Malvinas Islands contrast with the sovereign rhetoric of the past . In a world where powers define their zones of influence, the risk is not only the loss of rights over the archipelago, but also becoming trapped in a dynamic where national interests are sacrificed in the name of ambiguous alliances.
