Prime Minister is set to travel to Latvia
today [MON] to discuss ongoing efforts to counter Russian
aggression in the Nordic and Baltic region with his Joint
Expeditionary Force (JEF) counterparts.
The JEF brings together ten like-minded nations who share a
commitment to democracy, human rights and the rule of law, as
well as a long history of shared military operations.
Acknowledging the regional challenges faced by the Nordic and
Baltic countries, including Russia’s continued aggression, the
Prime Minister will call on leaders at JEF to sustain or exceed
2022 levels of support for Ukraine in 2023 through ongoing lethal
aid, economic resilience and political backing.
His call will come as the UK announces it will supply hundreds of
thousands of rounds of artillery ammunition next year, under a
£250 million contract that will ensure a constant flow of
critical artillery ammunition to Ukraine throughout 2023.
The UK is already Europe’s leading provider of defensive aid to
Ukraine, including sending Multiple Launch Rocket Systems and
recently, 125 anti-aircraft guns. We have also provided more than
100,000 rounds of ammunition since February, with the deliveries
directly linked to successful operations to retake territory in
Ukraine.
The Prime Minister personally updated President Zelenskyy on the
new support last week, which will form part of the UK’s 2023
package of defensive aid.
Prime Minister said:
“From the Arctic Circle to the Isle of Wight, the UK and our
European allies have been in lockstep in our response to the
invasion of Ukraine, and we remain steadfast in our ambition for
peace in Europe once again.
“But to achieve peace, we must deter aggression and our
deployments across the region together are vital in ensuring we
are able to respond to the gravest of threats.
“I know this Joint Expeditionary Force summit will only underline
our close friendships and unwavering support for Ukraine.”
The JEF meeting, which brings together the leaders of Denmark,
Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands,
Sweden, Norway and the United Kingdom, will also be addressed by
President Zelenksyy.
At the summit the leaders will discuss the defensive capabilities
needed by Ukrainian forces, including further air defence. They
are also expected to accelerate cooperation among JEF nations,
bolster intelligence sharing, strengthen defences to hybrid
threats and protect critical national infrastructure. As part of
that increased collaboration, they will also discuss support to
Finland and Sweden ahead of their accession to NATO, and scaling
up joint exercises to further strengthen the JEF alliance.
Following the JEF summit, the Prime Minister will meet the
newly-reappointed Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš,
underscoring the close partnership between the two countries,
before traveling on to Estonia, where he will meet UK and NATO
troops serving on NATO’s eastern flank.
He will also sign a new innovative tech partnership with the
Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas. The joint partnership is
set to harness the shared expertise between the two countries,
helping both the UK and Estonia bolster technology ties and
support new digital infrastructure.
The agreement will see both countries accelerate digital research
and innovation, and strengthen cooperation across health,
education, cyber security, data and connectivity.
