Ukraine became an expanded partner of the JEF Defense Alliance: what does it mean?
5 November 17:33
Ukraine has officially joined the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), gaining the status of an extended partner.
This is the first country that is not a member of the alliance but is allowed to participate in its activities. This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal after a meeting of defense ministers of the JEF member states, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According to Shmyhal, this is a “historic moment” that opens up new formats of cooperation in defense and security for Ukraine.
What is JEF?
TheJoint Expeditionary Force (JEF) is a military alliance of ten Northern European countries led by the United Kingdom.
The alliance includes: The United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
The JEF was created as a rapidly deployable defense coalition capable of responding to crises in the Baltic and North Seas, the Arctic, and the North Atlantic.
Unlike NATO, the JEF operates outside the formal obligations of Article 5, but complements the Alliance’s defense capabilities.
What does the new status give Ukraine?
The status of an extended partner allows Kyiv to:
- participate in joint military exercises,
- exchange intelligence data,
- coordinate actions in crisis situations,
- cooperate in defense technology and production.
Ukraine will also be able to share its experience in modern warfare, particularly in the areas of drone operations, air defense, critical infrastructure protection, and hybrid defense.
What they say in Kyiv
“We are planning the participation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in joint exercises to achieve full interoperability and readiness to act together in crisis situations,” Shmyhal said.
He also emphasized that Ukraine will contribute to the security of Europe through innovative partnerships and cooperation in the military industry, and in return, it expects access to European technologies and production facilities.
The JEF is increasingly seen as a regional shield for Northern Europe that can act even if NATO’s decisions are delayed.
After the full-scale invasion of Russia, the alliance’s activity has increased: JEF countries regularly conduct exercises near the Baltic borders.
Ukraine’s participation in the Enhanced Partnership format is another element of Kyiv’s integration into the European collective defense system, along with deepening cooperation with NATO and the PURL program, which provides rapid arms transfers.
