The UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), comprising ten Northern European countries, has concluded Exercise Joint Protector in Latvia.
This exercise aimed to bolster Nato's eastern flank and demonstrate the alliance's capability to defend Latvia from potential threats.
The focus was on testing the rapid deployment of the JEF across Europe to address emerging security challenges.
The exercise included all nine partner countries - Iceland, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Sweden, and Finland - alongside the UK as the designated Framework Nation.
Military personnel from the nations practised deploying from their home countries to various locations in Latvia, bringing essential equipment with them.
The ability to rapidly deploy is seen as crucial for the JEF's operational effectiveness.
For the first time, Ukrainian military officers attended the exercise, reflecting the alliance's intent to learn from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The Ukraine-Russia war has caused hundreds of thousands of casualties, billions in aid to Kyiv, and the delivery of tens of thousands of military assets since February 2022.
The collective vision for the JEF's future is to be a cornerstone of Northern European security, supporting member nations and contributing to regional and multidomain defence activities.
UK Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard said: “Exercise Joint Protector demonstrates our unwavering commitment to regional security, keeping us secure at home and strong abroad, as well as the strength and depth of our international partnerships.
"The participation of our Ukrainian partners highlights the exercise’s importance, ensuring that we can learn from Ukraine’s hard-fought combat experience.”
Last month, the UK and Estonia defence ministers signed a new defence roadmap to enhance Nato’s eastern flank over the next two years.
This joint declaration aims to strengthen the existing defence partnership between the nations and present a united front against Russian aggression.
