Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has agreed further steps to deepen Ukraine’s involvement in the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force as Britain and its northern European allies strengthen security cooperation.
Defence ministers from the JEF met at Keflavik Air Base in Iceland, with support for Ukraine and security in the High North, Baltic and North Atlantic among the central issues.
The group reaffirmed its commitment to the JEF-Ukraine Enhanced Partnership, which was established to increase cooperation between Ukraine and participating countries.
Ukraine has now taken part for the first time in the JEF’s flagship Lion Protector exercise, contributing mine countermeasure vessels.
JEF–Ukraine partnership
Ministers agreed that Ukrainian participation should be expanded further, allowing its armed forces to work more closely with JEF countries and strengthen interoperability.
The JEF brings together the UK, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden and is designed to respond rapidly to security threats across northern Europe.
Streeting and his counterparts also discussed Canada’s application to join.
Officials will now work towards a joint recommendation for JEF leaders on Canadian membership, potentially extending the grouping’s reach more firmly across the North Atlantic.
Canada’s application
The talks also covered defence industrial cooperation, military innovation, resilience and the ability of allied armed forces to operate together.
For the Labour Government, the JEF has become an increasingly important part of its wider “NATO first” defence approach.
Ministers argue that the UK must combine its role in NATO with stronger practical partnerships among countries facing the most immediate threat from Russian aggression.
Streeting has repeatedly said Britain and its European allies need to increase their ability both to deter an attack and to respond effectively if deterrence fails.
The latest agreement also reinforces Labour’s commitment to Ukraine at a point when governments across Europe are considering how to sustain long-term military support.
By involving Ukrainian forces directly in exercises and planning rather than treating Kyiv solely as a recipient of assistance, the JEF is moving towards a deeper operational partnership.
Canada’s possible accession would add another major NATO member with significant Arctic and North Atlantic interests.
The result of the Iceland meeting is therefore both immediate and strategic: continued support for Ukraine now, alongside a stronger coalition designed to defend northern Europe over the longer term.
