Defence Ministers of JEF countries signed steering document guiding military activities

The defence ministers of the JEF partner countries met in Helsinki on 30 June to 1 July 2021. They signed a political steering document guiding military activities, complementing the JEF Memorandum of Understanding adopted in 2018. In addition, ministers held scenario-based discussions on the decision-making mechanisms and conditions for cooperation in the JEF countries.

The ministers met for the first time since 2019, as a joint meeting could not be held last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Finland regards ministerial meetings as very useful and is in favour of annually organised meetings.

According to Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen, organising the JEF meeting directly after Finland hosted a NORDEFCO meeting of Nordic defence ministers, Finland demonstrated how different defence cooperation arrangements support and complement each other.

One of the main forms of activities is joint exercises and operations in the partner countries. The cooperation framework for Joint Expeditionary Force activities can be used to support, for example, the operations of the UN, NATO or the EU. For each task and situation, an especially formed task force will be formed, and each partner country will decide independently on participation in line with its national legislation.

Inquiries: Senior Staff Officer Tatu Mikkola, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 295 140 006, and Special Adviser Aleksi Kuutio on communications related to the meeting, tel. + 358 295 140 128.