Editing Non-aggression pact (section)

{{short description|Type of international treaty}}
{{For|the band|Non-Aggression Pact (band)}}
{{distinguish|non-aggression principle}}

A '''non-aggression pact''' or '''neutrality pact''' is a [[treaty]] between two or more states/countries that includes a promise by the signatories not to engage in [[offensive (military)|military action]] against each other.<ref name="KrauseSinger2001">{{Cite book|last1=Krause|first1=Volker|last2=Singer|first2=J. David|title=Small States and Alliances |chapter=Minor Powers, Alliances, and Armed Conflict: Some Preliminary Patterns |date=2001|editor-last=Reiter|editor-first=Erich|editor2-last=Gärtner|editor2-first=Heinz|chapter-url=http://www.bundesheer.at/pdf_pool/publikationen/05_small_states_03.pdf|language=en|location=Bundesheer|publisher=Physica-Verlag HD|pages=15–23|doi=10.1007/978-3-662-13000-1_3|isbn=978-3-662-13000-1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lanoszka |first=Alexander |date=2025 |title=Non-aggression pacts: context and explanation |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-theory/article/nonaggression-pacts-context-and-explanation/03446BF204A0104F8D07B8210C8F9706 |journal=International Theory |language=en |doi=10.1017/S1752971925000065 |issn=1752-9719|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Such treaties may be described by other names, such as a [[Treaty of Friendship (disambiguation)|treaty of friendship]]<!--intentional link to DAB page--> or [[non-belligerent|non-belligerency]], etc. Leeds, Ritter, Mitchell, & Long (2002) distinguish between a '''non-aggression pact''' and a '''neutrality pact'''.<ref name="Leeds_2002">{{Cite journal|last1=Leeds|first1=Brett|last2=Ritter|first2=Jeffrey|last3=Mitchell|first3=Sara|last4=Long|first4=Andrew|date=2002-07-01|title=Alliance Treaty Obligations and Provisions, 1815-1944|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/03050620213653|journal=International Interactions|volume=28|issue=3|pages=237–260|doi=10.1080/03050620213653| s2cid=154842700 |issn=0305-0629|url-access=subscription}}</ref> They posit that a ''non-aggression pact'' includes the promise not to attack the other pact signatories, whereas a ''neutrality pact'' includes a promise to avoid support of any [[entity]] that acts against the interests of any of the pact signatories. The most readily recognized example of the  aforementioned entity is another country, nation-state, or sovereign organization that represents a negative consequence towards the advantages held by one or more of the signatory parties.<ref name="Leeds_2002"/>