Beyond NATO: How JEF could become a new security alliance for Ukraine

Few stories are as dramatic as Ukraine's long road to NATO membership. But have we ever seriously considered the alternatives?

Over the past few years, Ukraine has gained military experience that NATO countries are now studying. In October, a delegation representing all 32 NATO member states visited Kyiv for this very reason, for the first time in eight years.

Ukrainian troops are now regularly invited to NATO exercises, and each time, the results are a crushing defeat for NATO forces. This happened in August, when Ukrainian drone operators "defeated" a US unit during military exercises in Germany. Similar results were seen during exercises in Sweden, Latvia and Estonia throughout 2025 and 2026.

But NATO is, first and foremost, a geopolitical organisation. And there is no guarantee that Ukraine will become a member without full agreement among all NATO countries. So our membership prospects remain uncertain, while we need security guarantees and reliable partners today.

There is one organisation we should take a closer look at. It is a military coalition that has existed in Europe for years: the Joint Expeditionary Force, or JEF. It brings together 10 countries that are already important security partners for Ukraine.

I would call it a kind of "Northern NATO", led by the United Kingdom.

What is JEF?

The Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) is a UK-led military coalition focused on protecting the Baltic Sea and North Sea regions.

It was officially established at the NATO summit in Wales in September 2014, based on the Framework Nations Concept. Under this model, one leading country brings together neighbouring or historically connected nations to build military forces that can operate effectively together.

JEF was primarily created as a rapid deployment force capable of carrying out a wide range of operations, from humanitarian assistance to conventional deterrence and combat.

Today, JEF has 10 members, all of them NATO countries: the United Kingdom, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Netherlands.

I would describe it as a European club of countries with real guts. Countries that truly understand the threat from russia and are ready to invest in their own defence.

JEF's operational headquarters is based in Northwood, UK, which is also home to the Royal Navy's Maritime Operations Centre. Political decisions are made at meetings of national leaders and defence ministers.

At the same time, each country decides independently whether to take part in a particular JEF operation or exercise. This is one of the key differences between JEF and NATO.

JEF Security Operations

JEF is not just about political agreements and joint military exercises. The coalition is already carrying out operations to protect Europe's critical infrastructure.

In January 2025, following damage to the Estlink 2 underwater power cable between Finland and Estonia in the Baltic Sea, JEF launched Operation Nordic Warden.

From its military headquarters in Northwood, the allies monitor ships across 22 strategically important maritime areas, including the Baltic and North Seas.

The system uses artificial intelligence to detect suspicious ship activity, including vessels linked to russia's shadow fleet, and to warn of threats to underwater communication cables and energy infrastructure.

The operation is still ongoing. At the same time, NATO has been running its own mission, Baltic Sentry, since 14 January 2025, to strengthen its naval presence in the Baltic Sea.

In August 2026, JEF launched a major military exercise, LION PROTECTOR 26, across the Baltic Sea, North Atlantic and Arctic.

During one stage of the exercise, BALTIC EXPRESS, Danish, Latvian, Swedish and British ships and aircraft escorted the Ark Germania, a vessel carrying heavy military equipment, to Latvia.

The allies used this exercise to practise protecting maritime supply routes and rapidly moving troops to NATO's eastern flank. The exercises continued across Northern Europe in September and October.

In Norway, above the Arctic Circle, JEF practised rapidly deploying a military headquarters. In the Faroe Islands, British Royal Marines and Danish troops trained in amphibious landings and vessel inspections.

These exercises show how JEF is building its ability to respond quickly to threats in Northern Europe. But cooperation between these countries goes far beyond military exercises in the north.

A Nuclear Umbrella and New Security Guarantees

In October 2026, the United Kingdom offered to extend its "nuclear umbrella" to JEF members as part of a broader defence agreement.

The agreement could be signed at the November summit in Oslo. And this would be a major step forward.

Britain is prepared to offer these security guarantees independently, without triggering NATO's Article 5 on collective defence. The idea is to provide JEF members with an additional layer of security outside NATO's formal procedures. We are watching a new military alliance take shape in Europe under British leadership.

European countries are looking for ways to strengthen their own security without relying entirely on NATO, where so much still depends on the position of the United States.

For Ukraine, it is extremely important to become more actively involved in these emerging military alliances and, eventually, to become a full member of JEF. Especially since every JEF member is already an important security partner for Ukraine, both in supplying weapons and in producing them together.

What Can Ukraine Offer JEF?

Ukraine already has a special role within JEF. In November 2025, Ukraine was granted Enhanced Partnership status with JEF. It was the first time this status had been given to a country outside the coalition.

This is much more than a political gesture.

Ukrainian troops are already taking part in joint JEF exercises. Our partners are interested in Ukraine's experience with drones, countering Russian electronic warfare, protecting critical infrastructure and using modern battlefield tactics.

And there is one important point here.

Today, Ukraine is not just a country that needs security guarantees. Ukraine can also provide security to its partners.

We can offer technology, manufacturing capacity and real combat experience that will make the entire coalition stronger.

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For now, JEF members see the coalition as a complement to NATO, not a replacement for it. I believe this is one of JEF's greatest strengths. Membership in JEF would not conflict with Ukraine's goal of joining NATO.

In March 2026, President Zelenskyy already stated that Ukraine was ready to become a full member of JEF. In my view, the next step should be a serious discussion about the terms of Ukraine's membership and the mutual security commitments that could come with it.

We should not just keep knocking on NATO's door. We should also be actively joining military alliances where Ukraine is already seen not as a country asking for help, but as a strong partner.