The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) is set to take its collaboration with Ukraine to a new level, as defence ministers from the UK and nine allied nations formalise an enhanced security partnership. This fresh agreement is centred on the protection of shared Euro-Atlantic interests, especially in the strategically vital High North and Baltic Sea regions.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal attended the recent JEF meeting in Bodø, Norway, marking a notable milestone in defence relations. The new partnership aims to provide specialised training for Ukrainian armed forces, and foster cooperation in areas such as critical undersea infrastructure safeguarding, drone technology, battlefield medical care, and combating disinformation.
The announcement builds on the completion of Tarassis, the largest military exercise in JEF’s 11-year history. Over two months, more than 1,700 UK personnel joined forces with other JEF nations across Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and surrounding waters. The UK, as the lead nation, demonstrated its readiness to defend Allied security swiftly and decisively. Läs artikel