Home Sea Joint Expeditionary Force ‘key tool’ to deter Russia

NATO Ship Formation for PHOTEX As seen from on board HMS Defender, NATO ships form up in order to conduct a PHOTEX including a fly-over by the French Air Force during Formidable Shield 23 in the North Atlantic. Formidable Shield is a NATO joint exercise with 2023 seeing allied fleets working together in the North Atlantic from the United States, Canada, France, Netherlands, Italy and the UK. HMS Defender is a type 45 destroyer air defence ship. Defender and her crew have been engaged on operations over the past 3 years, covering 4 major Oceans and most of the world's seas. Assisted by her Wildcat helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron, the Portsmouth based destroyer will shortly be conducting NATO's major Formidable Shield 23 exercise in the North Atlantic, where the ship ship will work with the UK's allies showcasing the Type 45 destroyer as one of the world's best air defence ships.

Joint Expeditionary Force ‘key tool’ to deter Russia

December 17, 2025

The Ministry of Defence has pointed to the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force as a central element of its approach to deterring Russian activity in the High North, highlighting recent ministerial engagement, major exercises and operational responses to hybrid threats in the region.

In written responses to Labour MP Graeme Downie, Defence Minister Al Carns said the Defence Secretary last met his counterparts from Joint Expeditionary Force nations at a JEF Defence Ministers’ meeting held in Bodø, Norway, from 4 to 5 November 2025. The meeting marked the first time JEF defence ministers had convened in the High North, a move the government says underlines the growing strategic focus on the region.

According to the Ministry of Defence, addressing Russian threats in the High North will remain a priority, with the issue set to feature prominently at the next Joint Expeditionary Force Leaders’ Summit, scheduled to take place in Finland in the first quarter of 2026. Officials are also considering dates for a further meeting of defence ministers.

While stressing that NATO remains the “ultimate guarantor” of European security, Carns set out a distinct role for the Joint Expeditionary Force, describing it as a mechanism that enhances security and stability across Northern Europe, the High North and the Baltic region. He said the JEF provides a rapid, adaptable and high-readiness military capability designed for crisis response, collective defence and security operations, including responses to hybrid threats across multiple domains.

The minister pointed to Nordic Warden in December 2024 as an example of the force’s operational utility, citing the JEF’s rapid response following damage to the Estlink-2 power cable in the Baltic Sea. That incident has been widely viewed as part of a broader pattern of vulnerability affecting undersea infrastructure in northern European waters.

As Framework Nation for the Joint Expeditionary Force, the UK is continuing to drive efforts to improve readiness and coordination among member states. Carns highlighted Exercise TARASSIS as a key part of that effort, describing it as the JEF’s principal activity in 2025 and the largest exercise conducted by the force in its 11-year history.

Exercise TARASSIS was held across the High North and Baltic regions during September and October 2025, involving multiple JEF nations and focusing on interoperability, high-readiness operations and collective responses to regional security challenges.

The Ministry of Defence said JEF activity in the High North and Baltic will continue to expand over the coming year, with an “ambitious series of exercises” planned to build on TARASSIS and further strengthen the force’s effectiveness and cohesion.