Leaders of Joint Expeditionary Force states to meet in Tallinn at year's end

TALLINN - This December, Estonia will host the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Leaders' Summit, which will be attended by the leaders of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

"The JEF summit in Tallinn will bring the security of our region into focus," said Prime Minister Kristen Michal. "At the summit, the leaders of the ten countries will discuss cooperation within the JEF framework and set out new plans to adapt the JEF's activities to the changing security situation."

The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) is a United Kingdom-led defense co-operation format that includes, in addition to Estonia, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland. In crises and war situations, the primary mission of the JEF is to provide a rapid response at sea, on land, and in the air, in the Baltic Sea and in Northern Europe, as well as in the High North.

Last November, following an incident that damaged the undersea infrastructure in the Gulf of Finland, the JEF defense ministers decided to activate a crisis response capability of the Joint Expeditionary Force for the first time. As a result of this decision, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, and the United Kingdom deployed their patrol vessels, frigates, maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters, and minesweepers to the Baltic Sea.

"The JEF plays an important role in the deterrence and defense posture of the Baltic Sea region, and the joint response options developed under the JEF are complementary to the activities of NATO. Recent years have shown how important it is to protect critical undersea infrastructure even in peacetime. We need to constantly train with our allies to maintain the ability of our troops to react quickly and decisively. The military capabilities and practical cooperation of the JEF partners will strengthen the security of the Baltic Sea region," Michal added.

On December 16-17, Estonia will host the JEF Leaders' Summit in Tallinn. The summit will be attended by high-level delegations from ten countries.

Last year, the Leaders' Summit of the JEF member states was held in Sweden, and before that, in 2022, in Latvia.