Finland, Sweden join UK-led response force

Finland and Sweden on Friday have joined a UK-led high-readiness force tasked with tackling threats and responding to crises globally, according to a statement from the British government.

British Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon welcomed the two Scandinavian nations to the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) during an official signing event at Karlberg Castle, in Stockholm, alongside Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist and Finnish Defence Minister Jussi Niinistö.

Launched in 2015, the joint force has continued to develop and will become fully operational next year, which could mean the mobilisation of 10,000 troops to respond quickly to a range of issues, using combat power, deterrence or humanitarian support, according to the statement.

Spearheaded by Britain, Finland and Sweden will make the JEF a nine-nation-strong pool of forces, alongside Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Norway. The JEF builds on many years of experience between Britain and these countries, according to the statement.

The JEF concept is distinct from existing international organisations, and can operate alone, but has the ability to integrate with other multinational high-readiness forces, and can support NATO, EU, and UN forces.

"In an uncertain world, the UK is spearheading this high-readiness joint force, which will help us tackle growing threats. Together, we pack a more powerful punch," Fallon said, "This is a Force of Friends, and alongside Sweden, Finland, and our other partners in this force, we remain committed to security, in Europe and around the world."

"The JEF will complement our bilateral and multilateral cooperation focusing both on our close vicinity and a broader global agenda." said Minister for Defence of Sweden Peter Hultqvist.

"Both Sweden and the UK are important partners for Finland and joining JEF gives our cooperation yet another dimension. We believe that the cooperation will enhance our national defence capability and deepen cooperation with our partners," said Minister of Defence of Finland Jussi Niinistö