Joint Expeditionary Force launches enhanced partnership with Ukraine as allies step up additional

• Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) defence ministers meet with Ukrainian counterpart as they launch new enhanced Ukraine-JEF partnership.  

• JEF assembly in Bodø in Norway centered on strengthening Euro-Atlantic safety within the High North and Baltic, defending nationwide safety for all JEF nations

• Planning underway for future workout routines as JEF completes Tarassis – its largest ever army exercise showcasing collective energy.  

Euro-Atlantic safety shall be considerably strengthened within the High North and Baltic Sea because the UK and allies from throughout the area ramp up their army cooperation and agree an enhanced partnership with Ukraine.

The enhanced partnership between the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) and Ukraine is anticipated to see JEF ship coaching for the Ukrainian armed forces, and nearer collaboration on safety of vital underwater infrastructure, drones, battlefield drugs, and strategies for countering disinformation.

Partnering extra with Ukraine will allow JEF nations to study important classes from the battlefield, strengthening all nations’ nationwide safety, driving innovation, and boosting lethality.

It comes as Ukrainian Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal joined a gathering of JEF defence ministers for the primary time.   

Defence ministers from the 10-nation robust JEF, of which the UK is the lead nation, are assembly in Bodø, Norway, to debate strengthening Euro-Atlantic safety within the High North, and Baltic Sea area.  

The assembly follows the conclusion final week of Tarassis – the JEF’s largest and most important army exercise in its 11-year historical past, after two months of intensive operations throughout the Nordic-Baltic area. The UK’s management in JEF, and the power to quickly deploy alongside allies if wanted, makes Britain safe at residence and robust overseas, underpinning this Government’s Plan for Change.  

Tarassis, which occurred all through September and October 2025, noticed greater than 1,700 British personnel from all three providers of the Armed Forces train alongside JEF allies. The exercise spanned throughout Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and the broader Baltic Sea.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP mentioned:

Our new enhanced partnership with Ukraine will allow JEF nations to step up with additional help to place Ukrainians in the absolute best place in defending their freedom.

It may also convey classes instantly from the battlefield to enhance our personal nationwide safety, which is the inspiration of the Government’s Plan for Change.

Through UK management on Ukraine and unity by means of JEF, we’re sending a transparent message to Putin – your aggression shall be met with our energy.

By stepping up by means of JEF, the Government is delivering on the Strategic Defence Review, which really useful strengthening our Alliances to bolster European safety. The SDR makes clear that JEF is a key a part of enhancing NATO’s deterrence posture in Northern Europe and the High North.

As Russian aggression heightened this 12 months, the JEF activated a sophisticated UK-led response system, generally known as Nordic Warden, to trace potential threats to undersea infrastructure and monitor the Russian shadow fleet, following reported injury to a significant undersea cable within the Baltic Sea.   

At the assembly in Bodø, ministers are anticipated to verify JEF’s subsequent main train collection, generally known as the Lion collection, which shall be intently coordinated with NATO, will kick off subsequent 12 months.