Ukraine has proposed expanding cooperation on drones, training, and joint weapons production with the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), a UK-led military coalition of 10 countries formed to jointly respond to crises and security threats in Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, and the North Atlantic.
Speaking at a JEF meeting, Ukrainian Defense Minister Evgeniy Khmara proposed sharing technology and battlefield experience through Kyiv’s Enhanced Partnership with the coalition.
He said Ukraine’s experience countering Russian drones could help JEF countries protect critical infrastructure and respond to drone and hybrid threats.
Kyiv could contribute low-cost interceptor drones manufactured at scale, detection systems, and technology that combines data from different sources to provide a real-time view of air activity, Khmara said.
He added that Ukraine had already used these systems in combat to counter Russian drones conducting surveillance, sabotage, and infrastructure attacks.
Kyiv proposed using that experience to help JEF countries counter similar threats in the Baltic and North Atlantic regions, where the coalition also works to protect undersea infrastructure and counter Russia’s shadow fleet.
Expanding Joint Production and Training
To put those proposals into practice, Kyiv wants to expand cooperation with JEF countries through existing programs to share drone technology, train personnel, and manufacture equipment together.
These include Drone Deal agreements, which allow Ukraine to export drone technology, and Train with Ukraine, a training program.
Through Build with Ukraine, Kyiv also proposes jointly producing drones and counter-drone systems.
Joint Expeditionary Force
The proposals build on a memorandum signed by JEF defense ministers in Norway in November 2025, granting Ukraine Enhanced Partnership status.
Kyiv became the first country outside the coalition to receive that designation.
At the meeting, Ukraine offered to share expertise in air defense, drone operations, infrastructure protection, countering hybrid aggression, and long-range strikes.
It also sought access to European technology and manufacturing facilities to support joint production.
The partnership envisaged Ukrainian participation in joint exercises to prepare its forces to operate alongside JEF militaries during crises.
Established in 2015, the UK-led coalition comprises Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK.
