We stand stronger together. At a time when we in Europe must take greater responsibility for our own security, it is vital that countries are able to coordinate their efforts easily and swiftly.
Today I was in Helsinki for the leaders’ summit of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF); a political-military partnership led by the United Kingdom and comprising ten like-minded European countries.
The JEF countries conduct military exercises and can act jointly, including in support of NATO, the UN or other partnerships. The JEF partners are united in addressing threats in the Arctic region, play a leading role in supporting Ukraine and wish to work towards establishing a strong European pillar within NATO.
During various sessions, we discussed support for Ukraine and security on the European continent. With the ongoing Russian threat and developments in the Middle East, it is all the more important to keep the spotlight on the war in Ukraine.
Alongside the Netherlands, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, the United Kingdom and Sweden took part in this JEF meeting. President @ZelenskyyUa of Ukraine and Prime Minister @MarkJCarney of Canada joined us virtually today as special guests.