JEF – partnership for regional security

The meeting was held to mark the end of Baltic Protector, a JEF maritime exercise that has been in progress in Denmark, Sweden, the southern Baltic and the Baltic States since 24 May, and to which Sweden contributed two Visby-class corvettes. The exercise had a clear focus on regional security, on demonstrating that the JEF nations are able to cooperate to support each other in different scenarios, and on carrying out a variety of tasks independently or in cooperation with multinational organisations such as the UN, the EU or NATO.

JEF – partnership with operational capability

The meeting in Klaipėda also highlighted that the JEF reached full operational capability one year ago, in June 2018. The ministers and supreme commanders held roundtable discussions aboard UK flagship HMS Albion to discuss the development of the JEF.

JEK was initiated as a UK resource pool comprising task groups from all the armed forces. Today the JEF comprises Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK. The participating nations decide independently, on a case-by-case basis, and in line with national decisions-making processes, whether and how to take part in exercises or military operations.

Countering increased Russian activity

In recent years and in different contexts, Russia has shown a capability to concentrate its forces, quickly and without warning, and to carry out complex operations in its immediate vicinity. New offensive weapon systems in Kaliningrad and in western Russia have increased the importance of exercises to ensure the ability to cooperate militarily between the countries of the Baltic Sea region.