Leaders of Joint Expeditionary Force nations to discuss Russia-Ukraine war

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - The leaders of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) member states are set to meet on Monday in Riga, the capital of Latvia, to discuss Russia’s war on Ukraine and “consequent changes in the security climate in the North Atlantic, Baltic Sea and the High North regions," a Latvian government statement said.

Operating since 2018, the JEF coalition that complements NATO consisted of like-minded nations Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, the UK, Sweden and Norway to respond rapidly to crises in the High North and Northern Europe.

The meeting will be addressed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“They (participants) are also expected to accelerate cooperation among JEF nations, bolster intelligence sharing, strengthen defences to hybrid threats and protect critical national infrastructure,” a UK government statement said.

They will also discuss support to Finland and Sweden ahead of their accession to NATO, and scaling up joint exercises to further strengthen the JEF alliance.

UK's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to call on JEF leaders to “sustain or exceed” 2022 levels of support for Ukraine in 2023 through ongoing aid, economic resilience and political backing.

"From the Arctic Circle to the Isle of Wight, the UK and our European allies have been in lockstep in our response to the invasion of Ukraine, and we remain steadfast in our ambition for peace in Europe once again," Sunak said.

"But to achieve peace, we must deter aggression... know this Joint Expeditionary Force summit will only underline our close friendships and unwavering support for Ukraine," he added.

The first summit of the JEF leaders was held virtually on Feb. 25, 2022, and the second summit was hosted by then UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on March 15, 2022.