JEF member states endorse Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's victory plan

Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson, President of Finland Alexander Stubb, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Dick Schoof, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, Prime Minister of Estonia Kristen Michal, Prime Minister of Latvia Evika Silina, President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland Thordis Kolbrun Reykfjord Gylfadottir pose for a picture as they take part in the Leaders' Public Debate Panel during the JEF Leaders' Summit in Tallinn. Photo: LEON NEAL / Reuters / Scanpix

At the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) Summit in Tallinn, Estonia, leaders of JEF member states signed a joint statement endorsing the core principles of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's victory plan.

The document also reaffirms JEF nations' commitment to collaborating with Ukraine on its implementation.

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal emphasized that a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace can only be achieved through the unconditional withdrawal of all Russian forces and military assets from Ukraine's internationally recognized borders.

This must be followed by the provision of robust security guarantees to Ukraine.

«We have firmly supported Ukraine's NATO membership in the past, we support it today, and we will continue to do so in the future,» Michal stated. «For a nation that has endured over a thousand days of war, there is no better or stronger security guarantee.»

The ten leaders convened in Estonia affirmed their unwavering commitment to supporting Ukraine on its path to NATO membership.

The summit resulted in agreements on additional measures to provide practical support to Ukraine and ensure sustained and robust cooperation with JEF nations in the future. Military assistance to Ukraine from JEF countries is projected to exceed 12 billion euros in 2025.

The joint statement also calls on third countries, including North Korea, Iran, and China, to immediately cease all forms of direct support to Russia, such as the provision of troops and ammunition. This support enables Moscow to prolong the conflict and worsen the suffering of the Ukrainian people.

The joint statement emphasizes that Russia remains the most significant, direct, and long-term threat to the security, peace, and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.

Furthermore, JEF nations reaffirmed their commitment to NATO's defense investment goals and agreed to pursue even more ambitious contributions. Recognizing the gravity of the current security environment, the leaders emphasized the need for defense spending to surpass the 2 percent of GDP benchmark. They also agreed to strengthen the defense industry by increasing production capacity for ammunition and weaponry and accelerating the development of Europe’s defense sector.

The Joint Expeditionary Force is a UK-led defense cooperation framework that includes the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and Estonia as its member states. Its primary purpose is to serve as a rapid-response force, capable of addressing crises prior to the invocation of NATO's Article 5. The alliance consists of like-minded nations committed to deploying swiftly and flexibly across various operations, from humanitarian crises to conventional warfare.