Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas took part in a distance meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Defence Ministers on April 28. At the meeting UK Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace briefed the Ministers on the recently published Integrated Review, a strategic publication of the United Kingdom, the JEF Ministers of Defence were informed about the situation in Ukraine. This was the first time Iceland, a new partner nation of the JEF, was represented at the meeting.
“The United Kingdom has an indispensable role in European security, therefore we have a particular appreciation of the Joint Expeditionary Force as a critical tool of deterrence and defence in the region,” said Minister A. Anušauskas at the meeting. He also underscored the importance of JEF training and ensuring that exercises are regular.
According to Minister, the UK commitments to NATO, Baltic Sea and the North Atlantic are critical. Expanding the UK Royal Navy force in the North Atlantic is necessary for NATO reinforcement, while the increasing UK defence budget is a positive signal for the entire region.
Earlier this month Iceland has become the 10th partner nation of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force. The North European coalition of countries – United Kingdom, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Finland, and Sweden – are bound together by respect to the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, as well as the determination to protect the European security.
The high readiness rapid response force can be deployed to respond to emergencies in Europe and beyond, including in the Baltic region.
Photo credit: Vilija Arlauskaitė
