Ukraine gains historic enhanced JEF partnership as Healey meets defence ministers in Norway

Defence Secretary John Healey has joined defence ministers from the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in Norway for talks with their Ukrainian counterparts, marking the launch of an enhanced Ukraine-JEF partnership.

The strengthened collaboration will see JEF nations deliver specialist training for the Ukrainian Armed Forces and work closely with Ukraine on priorities, including the protection of critical underwater infrastructure, drone technology, battle medicine, and countering disinformation.

The meeting marks the first occasion Ukrainian defence minister Denys Shmyha has joined a gathering of defence ministers, and the first time an enhanced partnership status has been granted to a nation that is not a member of the coalition. 

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Strengthening ties 

Defence ministers from the 10-nation strong JEF – led by the UK – met in Bodø, northern Norway, to discuss strengthening Euro-Atlantic security in the High North and Baltic Sea region.  

Mr Healey said: "Our new enhanced partnership with Ukraine will enable JEF nations to step up with further support to put Ukrainians in the best possible position in defending their freedom.

"Through UK leadership on Ukraine and unity through JEF, we are sending a clear message to Putin – your aggression will be met with our strength."

The meeting followed the conclusion of Exercise Tarassis – the largest and most significant JEF military activity in its 11-year history.

The exercise brought together forces from all 10 JEF nations, along with Canadian troops, for an intensive two-month operation that took place across Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and the wider Baltic Sea. 

More than 1,700 British personnel from all services of the Armed Forces took part, demonstrating the UK's leading role in the coalition.  

In the backdrop of rising tensions across Europe and Russia's heightened aggressive posture, the JEF activated an advanced UK-led reaction system, known as Nordic Warden.

The system is designed to track potential threats to undersea infrastructure and monitor the Russian shadow fleet, following reported damage to a major undersea cable in the Baltic Sea.

In a post on X, Ukraine defence minister Denys Shmyhal said he was grateful to John Healey for the invitation and that the meeting of Ukraine with JEF ministers was a "historic moment".

At the meeting in Bodø, ministers were expected to confirm JEF's next major exercise series, known as the Lion series, which will begin next year in close collaboration with Nato.