Wartime alliances are, in fact, generally established in peacetime to prevent, or prevail in, a possible future war.

Peacetime alliances are just formal or informal agreements between two or more states intended to further the national security of the participating states, operating when the signatories are not at war. If war begins and the alliance does not dissolve, it turns into a wartime alliance.

A defense pact requires its signatories to intervene with military force on behalf of any alliance partner(s) engaged in armed hostilities.

A Nonaggression pact is an alliance whose signatories pledge not to resort to military action against other pact signatories.

A neutrality pact includes a promise to avoid supporting another country, which may act against the interests of any of the pact signatories.